Driving through flood waters can put lives at risk
Published on 16 July 2021
Following several incidence during recent flooding events, Liverpool Plains Shire Council (LPSC) Mayor, Councillor Doug Hawkins OAM, is reminding motorist of the risks they face, including potential loss of life, if they attempt to drive through causeways or areas where water is flowing over the roadway during these events.
“There have been several incidence recently where motorists were very fortunate not to be swept away and have had to be rescued or they were lucky that others were nearby to assist them out of their predicament. In one incident a motorist tried to drive through 850mm across the road and they were lucky that an obstacle stopped their vehicle being swept further than it was,” he said.
“A study by Engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has shown that a small car weighing 1.05 tonnes, can be moved by water only 15 centimetres deep and with a flow speed of 1 metre/second, or 3.6 kilometres per hour, it completely floats away in 60 centimetres of water. Even a 2.5 tonne 4WD can be rendered unstable by floodwater 45 centimetres high, and a similar flow speed. Once the water reaches 95 cm, the four-wheel drive can completely float, and needs almost zero force to move it by hand,” he continued.
“As our State Emergency Services (SES) volunteers will tell you, still waters can run deep and the flow in front of you could pack a punch of a tonne per metric metre, which can tear away the road surface and result in a much deeper gully than is apparent.
“A further risk is that cars with electrically powered windows and locks are almost impossible to escape from once water finds its way into wiring and motors, disabling switchgear and pressing on bodywork. Additionally, even if you have the good fortune to survive getting caught in a flood in your car, the damage your vehicle will suffer will make you regret taking the risk,” he said.
“In NSW legislation states that a person must not, in wilful contravention of any advisory sign or in wilful disregard of any such barrier that may be in place, pass along, or cause any vehicle or animal to pass along, a length of public road, and must not damage, remove or otherwise interfere with a notice or barrier erected for the purposes of this section. To do so is an offence,” he continued.
“The temptation is understandable, when you’re within minutes of the comforts of home and you’re confronted with what looks like a relatively shallow and steady flow of water across the road to think I’ll be OK. The statistics show otherwise, so please don’t play Russian roulette with your life, the life of family members and emergency service personnel who may have to rescue you,” he concluded.
Media contact – Doug Hawkins 0448 092 932.