A 4-minute lesson from the Louisiana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Floodwater and crash scenes call for fast, calm decisions. Never drive into floodwater, know how to get out of a sinking car, and know what Louisiana law requires of you after any crash.
6 inches
Water that reaches the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control or stalling
Don't drive through flooded areas, even if the water looks shallow; it can hide dips or washed-out pavement. Turn around and find another route, or go to higher ground and wait.
If you damage an unattended vehicle or property, notify the police and try to find the owner. Leave a note with your name, address and phone number where the owner will see it.
'Move It, Move It, Move It - Steer It Clear': remove vehicles from the roadway to the nearest soft shoulder to reduce congestion and secondary crashes.
At night you reach a road covered by moving water that looks shallow. Turn around. Just 6 inches reaches the bottom of most cars, and 2 feet of rushing water can carry a car away.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
About how much water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, risking stalling or loss of control?
1 inch
2 feet
3 feet
6 inches
Answer: 6 inches
Just 6 inches of water can reach the underside of most passenger cars and cause problems.
