Advice for driving through flood water

With parts of the country already battered by storms and weather forecasters predicting even worse to come, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has issued advice to motorists on how to deal with driving in these conditions. As drains struggle to cope with the deluge, the likely result is further flooding all over the country. The IAM's Chief Examiner, Peter Rodger, said: "If the journey is unavoidable, motorists should take extra precautions when dealing with severe surface conditions."

The advice the IAM gives for flood conditions includes avoiding flood areas where possible and trying to seek an alternative route. Should driving through flood waters be unavoidable then drive through at the road's highest point - usually the middle - taking extra care to ensure that nothing is coming in the opposite direction. It's also important to watch your speed; the perfect situation is to have a small bow wave in front of the car. Keeping your speed constant is also important, stay in the same gear and don't lift off the accelerator as it can allow water to travel up the exhaust. Also, don't enter a puddle if you can't see the way out on the other side.

Once you've crossed a flooded area be sure to press your brakes to help dry them; gently applying the pedal as you drive for a few seconds will ensure that they'll be ready when you need them. Keep moving after you've passed the water to allow any that's made it into the exhaust to clear. Hopefully you won't need this advice at all, as the best practice is to avoid driving in the first place if at all possible.

Kyle Fortune