During monsoons, especially in India, comes the fear of flooding and having to navigate water-logged streets. It is common to experience heavy downpour, this makes waterlogging a serious but a common problem. Here are some tips which may help survive monsoons in India.

1. Avoid Dormant Pools of Water

It is smart to avoid driving through flooded areas, when possible. In order to do this, you should check Google Maps, or any other navigation tool and follow the traffic updates. Be alert while driving and try to find alternate routes. Pay attention to other vehicles around to judge the depth of the water before attempting to wade through.

2. Do Not Stop, Keep Moving

In a flooding situation, do your best to not stop and keep moving through the water. Keep the speed slow and steady, do not accelerate suddenly or brake hard. In case the car stops in stagnant water, there is a possibility of the water plodding into parts like the intake and exhaust. Make sure to keep the car on a lower gear and increase the throttle. Keep in mind, that wading through water, puts additional pressure on the engine, and using higher gears might leave the car motionless.

3. Do Not Restart the Engine 

If Stopped in Water In case the car has stopped in a boggy area, do not restart it straightaway. There are multiple reasons for this, first one being, the water putting more strain on the engine’s connecting rods, which may break. If the water has creeped into the intake or exhaust, it could lead to serious engine damage and the repairs will cost a lot of money. If you think that the water has entered the engine, switching off the car may be the ideal thing to do in order to avoid any further damage. Push the car out of the water clogged area or call the emergency services for help.

4. In Case You Get Stuck Inside, Do Not Panic

When a car is stuck in a pool of water, the water pressure could make it difficult to open the doors. In such case, it is very important to keep calm. An attempt can be made to open the doors by pushing it with both legs. If this does not work, use a heavy object to try and break the windows. It is always safer to walk away from a car that us submerged in water than to attempt to drive it.

5. Drain the Brakes

After successfully clearing the pool of water, pressing the brakes will help push out any water accumulated in the area. Water in the brakes hampers with its optimum usage. This could be more of a problem for cars with drum brakes and considering that most car models in India have rear drum brakes, this action is advised.

6. Turn Off the Engine if Stranded in the Car

If stranded in a water-logged street, what normally one would think of doing is to wait it out in the car with the engine and air-conditioning on. This is not the ideal thing to do as it could result in carbon monoxide seeping into the cabin. If drowsiness or a feeling of being fatigue occurs, get out of the car immediately as it could be caused due to carbon monoxide inhalation and can lead to fatal consequences. Therefore, in a case like this, it is safer to crank down the windows, but not all the way, and make sure to turn off the engine.

7. Unplug the Battery

Detaching the battery could help preserve the electrical systems but it is not guaranteed. One of the benefits of this is that it could reduce the risk of a short circuit when the electrical components come in contact with water causing minimal damage.