Electronics are wonderful. They make life much easier, more convenient and quite comfortable for the most part, but they can also sometimes be dangerous. During the unexpected floods in Mumbai in 2005 a few people were trapped in their cars when water ingress prevented the doors and windows from opening. The mechanism for most doors is mechanical but many are locked electronically and most cars also have power windows. Flash floods kill about 500 people every year in the US. It can be dangerous when the car stalls in the middle of a harmless stream that suddenly turns into a flash flood. If you get caught in such a situation, there are several precautions you should take.

At the first sign of trouble brace yourself for the crash by holding your steering wheel tightly and pushing your feet firmly against the floor. Remain calm at all times because panic depletes your energy and consumes more air. Try to lower your window a little to ensure an inflow of air in case the doors and windows get jammed. If your car is swept into a river or deep canal it may float for three to five minutes but after that it will surely sink, with the heavier engine portion submerging first. Get everyone out of the car as quickly as possible and don’t forget to unbuckle the seat belts for your children or anyone else who is unable to respond to the situation.

In case your doors and windows do not open you will have to break the windscreen or window to get out. You will need something hard and heavy to do this, like a cola or beer bottle because your shoes may be too soft. If you can’t find something suitable lift one of the detachable headrests with the strong steel rods and use that instead. First try to break the front windscreen because it is pre-tensioned to break outwards and to shatter into small crystals that may not scratch you and your passengers as you get out. If this fails try your side window. If you have a screwdriver in your car it is not heavy enough to break the glass but you can insert it through the window’s rubber seal and pull hard to break the glass. Take a deep breath of any air that gets trapped in your car and then try to swim to safety. Kick off your shoes as they will only weigh you down.

If none of these work you might get out through the boot. The back seats of many cars can be pulled in with a lever or a little force to let you into the boot area. The boot itself can usually be opened from the inside by a wire actuated mechanism that you can locate in its centre.

You must forget about your mobile phone. You will not be able to phone for help underwater and it will make you waste precious time trying. These kinds of accidents are very rare but they do happen so always be prepared. Keeping a hammer or even a small rock in your car is a precaution you must take if you anticipate any danger. Drive safely!