Every year, around 400 people lose their lives due to car accidents where their vehicle gets submerged in water. According to a study conducted by Canadian researcher Gordon Giesbrecht, many individuals who find themselves in this situation often make the wrong decisions.
In a video, Geoff Fahringer, an expert diver, demonstrates how to roll an old vehicle down a ramp into an 8-foot deep canal with him inside it. He also demonstrates the same scenario with several people inside the vehicle. Fahringer has been a member of a dive rescue team for the Collier County Sheriff’s department in Naples, Florida for over a decade.
Giesbrecht’s study concluded that there is often not enough time for rescuers to reach individuals in this type of situation, and they must take action to save themselves.
According to Giesbrecht, “We’re advising people to get out of the vehicle before the water reaches the windows, and that usually occurs within the first 30 to 60 seconds.” He also warns against reaching for a cell phone once the car is submerged. “Do not call 911 from inside a sinking vehicle.”
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