New research into accidents involving cars that enter water and become submerged now indicates that previous advice, to wait for the pressure to balance between the inside and outside of the car, is wrong. Michael McAleer reports.
According to research conducted by the Centre for Technology run by insurance firm Allianz, the best chance to escape from a sinking car is to act immediately.
The research by the centre found that those who acted to escape in the first 15 seconds had the greatest likelihood of success.
"The advice to wait for the equalisation of pressure has been very popular for a long time. After conducting our own tests, we have learned, that this is really deadly advice in most cases," says Dr Dieter Anselm, head of the centre.
"Fortunately we do not have many of these accidents."
The researchers found that, when cars enter the water, the passenger compartment fills with water from the front end to the rear.
The remaining air is pushed to the rear window and the luggage compartment and is no longer usable for car passengers.
Within 15 seconds of impact with the water, the car has sunk up to the side windows. Then water streams through the air intakes into the passenger compartment.
According to the researchers, it is to be expected that no person would stay calm in this situation.
During the tests even professionally trained divers who substituted driver and car passenger during the tests felt panic despite of the fact that they were using diving equipment.
After 30 seconds the steering wheel is covered with water. After 45 seconds a small air bubble is left near the rear window.
One minute after the impact only the luggage compartment can be seen above the water line. Then the car sinks nearly vertically, nose first, and it's absolutely unpredictable, in which position it will come to a standstill.
By that stage it is likely to be too late in the dark and murky water to work your way out of the car and to the surface.