HOUSTON – Would you dare drive into a moving tornado? Most would say no. So why do we drive through water when we don’t know how deep it is?
Meteorologist Anthony Yanez says 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet, but the issue comes in when the water level rises to 1 foot. While that much water would float most small cars, it could cost you over $4,000 for repairs.
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It takes a little more for a large SUV to float. Yanez says 2 feet of standing water will get an SUV to float, but let’s face it: it’s hard to tell the difference between 1 foot and 2 feet of water.
Bottom line— if you don’t know how deep the water is, don’t drive through it. Turn around and don’t drown.
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Statistics reveal there have only been 21 flood deaths in 2023. Of those, 18 of them were in vehicles. Yanez says all 18 of those deaths were preventable.
Be safe out there, Houston, and if you’re ever in doubt, find another route.