Monsoon 2024: Lifesaver tips to drive your car through flooded roads

After relentless heatwave spells in various regions across the country over the last three months, India has finally started witnessing pre-monsoon showers, which have brought much-needed relief to people. However, with the rain comes a new set of challenges. People who drive regularly, especially in areas where waterlogging is an issue, know this better.

1 Avoid waterlogged areas

It is said that prevention is better than cure. Instead of driving through a waterlogged road and being careful not to damage the vehicle, it is always best to avoid such a road. Avoid driving through waterlogged roads where the water level is higher than the lowest part of the vehicle's body frame, like the bottom of the front bumper or the door sills. Most of the small cars are unable to wade through deeper water. Forcing the vehicle may result in clogging the exhaust, seeping through the radiator and entering the engine, which can be catastrophic for the powertrain of the car. Generally, many underpasses witness waterlogging and it is best to avoid such underpasses after heavy rainfall.

2 Drive slow and steady

Slow and steady is the mantra if you are driving through a pool of water. Make sure the vehicle is always in motion and avoid stalling it in the middle of the pool, which may result in water entering the internals. Also, do not accelerate hard or brake hard as it could lead the car to stall. It is best to drive in lower gears when driving through a pool of water.

3 Use brake only after exiting danger zone

This is in line with the previous tips. ever apply the brake when in the pool of water. Apply brake only once the vehicle is out of the flooded area. This will clear the moisture from the brake shoes and ensure they work efficiently before they need to work again. Water build-up can result in the brakes failing to perform, which could eventually result in a dangerous driving condition.

4 Don't restart engine if stalled

In case the engine is stalled in the middle of a pool of water, refrain from starting the engine again. In such a situation the connecting rods are put under excessive pressure and could easily break when restarting the engine due to the additional pressure exerted by water. Also, if the water reaches the engine via the air intake or emissions, it could seriously damage the motor, which could be a really costly affair to repair. Hence, if your car's engine is stalled in the middle of a pool of water, try to simply push the car out of the waterlogged area instead of trying to drive it out.

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