explainer: Answers to your questions about the news.
How Do You Escape From a Sinking Car?
By Christopher Beam
Updated Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at 6:24 PM ET
A bridge spanning the Mississippi River collapsed Wednesday, sending dozens of vehicles plummeting 60 feet into the river below. How do you escape from a sinking car?
First, roll down the windows. If the windows are still above the waterline, just climb out. But if the car is sinking fast, wait for the interior to fill with water—you won't be able to open the door until there's enough water inside the car to equalize the pressure on the outside. Opening the windows helps the water flow in faster, which gives you a better chance of escaping before your car sinks too deep. Survival experts recommend keeping your seatbelt on until the last possible second. Otherwise, the rush of water could disorient and possibly injure you. Plus, it gives you extra leverage to open the door when it's time to escape. If for some reason you can't open the windows or doors, try kicking out the windshield or smashing a side window as a last resort. (You can buy emergency LifeHammers for just this purpose.)
Try not to panic. Easier said than done, of course—the impact of the water or an airbag probably will stun you. But it's hard to hold your breath if your heart is racing and carbon dioxide builds up in your blood too quickly. Survival Systems USA, a firm that trains soldiers in emergency escape techniques, has found that it takes about 20 seconds to escape through the door of a submerged car. A calm, relaxed person can hold their breath for 30 to 45 seconds underwater. So, if your pulse is pounding, you don't have much room for error.
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