The rainy season often causes obstacles for traffic participants, especially for those who use cars and trucks. Here are the necessary experiences that Isuzu Vietnam wants to share with you for driving safely and how to deal with cars flooded & stalled situations.
How to keep safe when driving a vehicle in flood-affected areas?
Some of the following experiences will certainly be very useful to you. 
- Having a basic knowledge of the model in use
If forced to face a flooded area, the drivers need to grasp the basic knowledge about the model which are using.
- Determine the depth of the floodplain
Before deciding to move through the floodplain, drivers should consider whether the water level is safe enough to pass through. If the floodwater level surpasses the center of the wheel, the driver should not continue moving into the flooded area. In addition, vehicles running in the opposite direction that create water waves that cause water to rise higher are also quite dangerous for cars, so be careful when driving through floodwaters.
- Turn off all electrical equipment
Drivers need to turn off additional equipment such as air conditioning, entertainment systems … to limit the risk of electric shock, fire and explosion.
- On the lowest gear
If you drive through floodwaters, you should put the vehicle to the lowest gear and slow down on safety level, this will limit the water overflow into the engine through the exhaust.
- Driving slowly
One of the best rainy season driving experiences is to keep the car running smoothly, keep the engine running steadily, and drive calmly. Do not accelerate suddenly because it will make water easily enter the straw. In addition, a sudden increase in throttle causes high machine revs. Once water overflows will cause hydrodynamic damage (causing heavy damage and high repair costs).
- Keep safety distance from the in-front vehicles
Don’t get too close to the vehicles ahead, keep a safe driving distance in case the vehicle ahead stops suddenly. Keeping a safe distance also prevents the vehicle from being affected by water waves.
- Calm handling when the engine top – Do not start the vehicle when the engine stops operation
Driving on the flooding road can easily cause the engine to stop. The driver should quickly turn off the engine, pull out the electric key instead of trying to start the engine. Absolutely do not try to start the engine when the engine is turned off, this action will cause heavy damage to the vehicle (causing vehicle hydrostatic). If you try to start the vehicle while flooded, it might damage the internal components & electrical system of the engine; in several cases, these parts might be required to replace and costly repairs. Instead, try to move the vehicle to a higher position and call for help as soon as possible. In addition, vehicle owners should keep in mind the highest flooding point to conduct inspection and cleaning accordingly.
Hopefully, the recent sharing of Isuzu Vietnam will help drivers to have safety driving in the rainy season.
