6 Things You Need To Know Before You Drive Through Floods
Read the BM version of this article here.
The monsoon season has hit Malaysia hard and reports of floods are, well, flooding in. It is almost impossible to completely avoid driving through flooded roads during this time, so here are a few things you really need to know for when you are caught in this situation.
1. Don’t Be Overconfident.
The current looks gentle enough? Think your SUV is high enough? Always been a strong swimmer? Many who shared the same thoughts have driven confidently through floodwaters only to have their car stall or swept away. Just one foot of water can sweep many vehicles (and humans) away and water can rise up to one foot every five minutes in flash floods. Also, swimming against a current is NOT the same as in a swimming pool.
2. Know Your Vehicle’s Capability
If you might see other vehicles (such as a MyVi!) wading through water and emerging on the other side without any problem, and think that you can do the same. But wait. Not all cars have the same wading depth, ie. the maximum water depth that the car can drive through. If this information is not available from the manufacturer, the rule of thumb is that it should not be more than a quarter of the height of the car’s tyres or below the exhaust pipe. (MyVis are the exception but this writer still would not risk it.)
3. Watch Your Speed
Keep the gear on low and stay below 20 kph, but don’t go too slow (confusing, yes). You’d want to maintain the “bow wave” that forms as you drive through water, which prevents water from entering the air inlet.
Keep your foot steady on the pedal (do not lift it) and continue revving the engine to prevent water from entering the vehicle. Don’t panic and step on the pedal either as going too fast could result in aquaplaning, whereby the tyres are no longer in contact with the road surface.
4. Keep Your Distance From the Vehicle In Front
No, the vehicle in front is not parting the waters to make way for your car. In fact, its brakes could fail or it could get caught in a current, and you’d want to have enough distance to be able to take evasive action.
5. Do Not Restart a Stalled Engine
If your car engine stalls when you try to drive through floodwater, do not attempt to restart. If you do, the engine will take on more water and the damage might be expensive or even irreparable. Water could also leak into the electrical system and, on top of having to deal with water, you’d also have fire.
6. Abandon Vehicle if Necessary
Many flood fatalities involve victims in vehicles that were swept away by moving water. If your vehicle gets stranded and is in danger of being carried by the current, abandon the vehicle and get yourself to somewhere safe. Spend a little more to get the special perils coverage when you renew your car insurance, so you would hesitate less in abandoning (it’s just a) car to save yourself.
| Insurance provider | Special perils cover | Premium (premium rate x car’s sum insured) |
| Zurich Takaful | Flood, typhoon, hurricane, storm, tempest, volcanic eruption, earthquake, landslide, landslip, subsidence or sinking of the soil/earth or other convulsions of nature | 0.20% |
| Allianz Malaysia | Flood, typhoon, hurricane, storm, landslide, landslip or other convulsions of nature | 0.25% |
| RHB Insurance Berhad (full special perils cover) |
Flash floods, storms, landslides, earthquakes, sinking soil and other unexpected occurrences | 0.25% |
| Etiqa Takaful | Flood, storms and tempest | 0.27% |
| RHB Insurance Berhad (limited special perils cover) |
Flash floods, storms, landslides, earthquakes, sinking soil and other unexpected occurrences | 0.40% |
| Etiqa Takaful | Flood, typhoon, hurricane, storm, tempest, volcanic eruption, earthquake, landslide, landslip, subsidence or sinking of the soil/earth or other convulsions of nature | 0.50% |
Source: bjak.my
