| AUSTIN
– The Division of Emergency Management, Texas Department of Public
Safety urges drivers to exercise extreme caution during severe rain events.
Flooding is the most common cause of weather-related deaths in Texas.
As little as six inches of water can knock adults off their feet. Vehicles
aren't safe either.
When drivers see water across a road, they need to back away and choose
a different route. Never drive through water on a road. Water can be deeper
than it appears and water levels can rise very quickly. Floodwaters erode
roadways. A missing section of road, even a missing bridge, will not be
visible with water running across the area. If a car stalls in floodwater,
get out quickly and move to higher ground. Floodwaters may still be rising
and the car could be swept away at any moment.
Water displaces 1,500 pounds of weight for every foot that it rises. In
other words, if a
car weighs 3,000 pounds, it takes only two feet of water to float it.
Cars can become
death traps because electric windows and door locks can short out when
water reaches
them, trapping occupants inside.
For more information on Severe
Weather Awareness, see the Division of Emergency
Management Web site: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/pages/index.htm
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