Flooded Roads Are No Big Deal, Right?
Posted by Brad Butler, CIC, CPIA, CRIS, HIA on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 @ 06:30 AM
Living in middle Tennessee, we see our fair share of floods, tornados, and snow. In 2010 we had two massive floods. It was interesting to see a house floating down the interstate. However, most of the time floods consist of a few flooded fields, creeks, and roads. Driving on flooded roads is dangerous. Let’s consider a few things.
The most popular vehicles washed away on a flooded road are SUVs and pick-up trucks. Ground clearance is greater, so it stands-to-reason these vehicles would be able to cross a mildly flooded road. However, pick-up trucks are lighter than most passenger vehicles. So take a light, top-heavy pick-up, and hit the wheels with 6” of water moving 6-8 miles per hour, and that truck will “slide with the tide”.
Have you ever noticed during severe snow, most vehicles in the ditch are large SUVs with four-wheel drive? The same can be said for SUVs on flooded roads. Ground clearance is higher and the vehicle is heavier, but it is top-heavy and the tires are typically larger. Two feet of water can cause an SUV to float downstream. In fact, because the tires are larger, thus more buoyant, you will be move into deeper water faster.
Six inches of moving water is powerful and has additional risks. Six inches of moving water will not only knock you off your feet but will also cause most passenger vehicles to slide with the current. If you are able to get out of your car while sliding downstream, you will not be able to stand in water moving just 6 miles per hour.
Objects like trees and logs like to hide right below the surface of the water. How would you like to be hit with a 500-pound tree? Not only would you be hurt if you were out of your car, but it would also slide your vehicle if it were hit.
Do not try to cross a flooded road or bridge at night. Would you walk across a cow pasture at night and be sure you would not step into a pile of something? Enough said on night crossings.
You WILL put other person’s lives in danger. I am not talking about first responders such as police and fire. They usually show up later to clean up the mess. I am talking about the other persons on each side of the road. When you are washed away, someone will try to “save” you, and most likely be hurt or killed in the process. How would it feel to know that someone’s daddy is not coming home because you tried to cross a flooded road?
There are other factors involved as well such as hypothermia, shock, and not knowing how to “ride the water” like white water enthusiasts are trained to do. Considering all these aspects, there are plenty of good reasons not to try to cross a flooded road and no good reason to try to cross it.
Want to see some videos of our 2010 Nashville floods?