MythBusters Car in Water Epsiode

I saw on Mythbusters a few days ago, where they were trying to figure out how to safely survive the senario of a car crashing into a body of water. They said power windows would work if you get that before the water got to them you would have a chance.. and if you opened the door right away youwould also have a chance.

My question stems from a fear i have. What if there are small children in the back seat. How would you exit the car with them safely, with them in carseats and what not?

There is a product called LifeHammer

I've never used one..But the claim is that you can break a car window, AND cut seatbelts, all with a single device.

Originally posted by spacedoubt
There is a product called LifeHammer

I've never used one..But the claim is that you can break a car window, AND cut seatbelts, all with a single device.

Was just gonna suggest the same thing. The only thing you would have to be careful of is the glass coming into the car when the window was broken, as there would be a much greater pressure outside (assuming the water was at window level. It would make the car fill a bit faster, but you would also be able to open the door.


Best bet is to not get in that situation. Granted, accidents are not avoidable, but if you take certain steps you should greatly reduce your chances of finding yourself in that situation. Don't drive while sleepy, drunk, or otherwise impaired, and pay attention to other drivers, and you should greatly reduce the chances that you will be put in that situation.

Yeah, they showed that on Mythbusters... It worked... just... i guess i'm not sure how to get the kids out and keep track of them (if i had them in the car that is) while swimming to the shore? How do I keep them from drowning?

when the situation occurs, somehow, instincts kick in and it is amazing what you can do. I can only hope that if that happens to me i would be able to save my 3 children no matter how it concerns my life!

Originally posted by JessicaS
i guess i'm not sure how to get the kids out and keep track of them (if i had them in the car that is) while swimming to the shore? How do I keep them from drowning?

Your best bet would to teach them swimming lessons if they haven't already learned. Your nearest YMCA or public pool will probably have swimming lessons for children. I think this is very crucial, especially when you live near any bodies of water. Once you have taken your children out of the vehicle, maintain a vocal check system by routinely having them count to you. Assign numbers from 1-3+ to your children and have them call out their number in order, while swimming back to shore. The one that doesn't call the number will be the one that needs help. You can also have a flotation device in the back of the car as well. Something as simple as a basketball or volleyball can be used to keep your child afloat.

Originally posted by JessicaS
Yeah, they showed that on Mythbusters... It worked... just... i guess i'm not sure how to get the kids out and keep track of them (if i had them in the car that is) while swimming to the shore? How do I keep them from drowning?

I see, your more worried about right after they are released from the back seat, and how you can control them as you get to shore.

Do you think you would have them out of the carseat?

Originally posted by JessicaS
i guess i'm not sure how to get the kids out and keep track of them (if i had them in the car that is) while swimming to the shore? How do I keep them from drowning?

That is a hard one to answer. I guess ime really lucky my daughter is 17 and my son is 11. well past the age of needing the old man to get them out. heck they would probly be the one to get me out. There is a risk anyway you look at it. Prepairdness is your best answer.
1st: teach them to swim
2nd: vocal check system figured out in advance (DJMessiah idea)
3rd: have a child Be prepaird to be in charge should you have to go diving for another.

I would say on the car seat issue that it would probly be better off getting them out of it. I imagin they flote probly very well but there is the trouble of getting them out of the car while its sinking. Anybody with children knows what a bare those things can be to get in and out of a car on dry land.
In the water forget about it. cut the belt pull the kid out and push pull throw them to or twords the shore or set them on the car while you extract the next child. I hope ime not giving bad advise here but to be honest Ive never thought of that. guess ime lucky it never happened to me and my kids because we werent prepared for it

Originally posted by angryamerican
I would say on the car seat issue that it would probly be better off getting them out of it. I imagin they flote probly very well but there is the trouble of getting them out of the car while its sinking. Anybody with children knows what a bare those things can be to get in and out of a car on dry land.

Yes, in such a situation it is best to get out quickly rather than trying anything else.

the trouble with things that float, is that they can be a hindrance in such a situation, because the up force stops you from going down if the exit is below you, which is why lifejackets are only to be inflated when you get out of a ditched plane.

Well... The car seat is an issue for me too.. but i suppose i could use the Lifehammer type device to cut them out of it. The only thing that concerns me.. is one child i travel with is a baby.. the other is a 5 year old, with a speech problem.

I do appreciate all your responces.. and hope this never happens to me, still.. i rather be prepared for the worst, ya know?

Eh, you can always have more kids. Theyre a dime a dozen. As long as you dont damage your junk trying to get out of the car.

having 3 children myself this is something i have thought off many times in the past. because they are so young i had the same thoughts as yourself on getting them out. Now my work car is a saloon which my children very rarely go in as its for work only however we bought a new family car recently. Having 3 children we bought a people carrier and the good thing is it has slide doors on each side of the vehicle which i guess would be much easier to open

parenthood is mad. We spend most of their young lives worrying about possible scenarios then when we get over it the bloody kids are leaving home and getting married.

By all means have a action plan but enjoy the time with your children they grow up too fast these days

The tool that we use to break windows is an automatic center punch. Just place it in the corner of the window and push.

Automatic center punch

By the way I am a volunteer Fire Fighter

I saw the episode, too! That's really every parent's worst nightmare; being trapped and trying to get the kids out safely.

I think I'd get a lifepunch (actually, that sounds like a good option for the car, period) and break the window and THEN deal with getting the kids to the front of the car and out.

Y'know, maybe you should post the question in an email to Mythbusters (they said they wanted feedback, and this is something they might stop and consider.) It'd be useful to a lot of people to know whether it would be better to raise the windows and grab the kids first (bringing them to the front seat) or what.

Some of it will depend on the size of the car. Another factor (not counted) is how long you'd be dazed after your car slammed into a river.

HOWEVER... many people drown when their cars are caught in floods. So I think the answer would be something good for them to investigate. Suggest it to them.

In the event of a water landing, your child may be used as a floatation device.

Not much I can add except prevention would be top priority for situations like this. People take risks when they're alone in their car which often land them in bad situations like stuck in flood waters or crossing questionable bridges. With kids in the car, there can be no risks taken.

Jessica,

Maybe you could practice some of the moves required.
See if you can get them out of the seats, when you are working from the front seat. Try it one handed, first with one hand, then the other. See how fast you can do it, when you aren't under any pressure.

I'd practice cutting something with the lifehammer too..something as similar to seatbelt material as possible. Get familiar with that tool.

Most importantly-Keep yourself and the kids calm. Easier said then done, obviously, but the episode did show that staying calm worked best. Young children tend to hold their breath instinctively when submerged. Use the time while the car is filling to unbelt yourself and your kids, calmly hold your breath and open the door to exit when the car fills up.

Or you could buy a convertable.

First off, thank you very much for the recommendation of LifeHammer. I'm ordering 2 right now.

Second, about how to make sure your kid(s) have a chance if you drive into a lake and the car sinks...

1.) Swimming Lessons (already mentioned) and Lifesaving classes will help them both survive the water, and their chances for revival in the event that they drown.

2.) Get a one-gallon plastic milk jug, seal the cap with super-glue. Get a velcro strap, attach one end to the milk jug, leave the other available, with enough length to strap the milk-jug to the child's chest if you have time, but allow for the possibility that the best you might be able to do is their shoulder or foot. Keep the milk-jug loosely strapped to their car seat. Alternately, if you have the funds, buy 'em a life jacket of the appropriate size. That's the best floatation device there is.

In the event of your car plunging into the lake, if you don't have a lifehammer, take a deep breath, roll YOUR window down IMMEDIATELY. Then UNLOCK THE BACK DOOR. You only have till the water gets up about 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the wind-shield before the pressure causes it to shatter inward. You don't want that to happen for two reasons: one, you get a faceful of glass, two, it's a huge volume of water to suddenly rush in, and will likely drown you if it catches you unprepared. You have, from the point that the car hits the water, about 30 seconds to act before the water caves in the wind shield (if no windows are rolled down). Additionally, your "float time" will be at best one minute, including that 30 seconds.

Once your window is down (or gone), AND THE BACK DOOR UNLOCKED then slowly but firmly open the back door. Unbuckle the child from the car seat, should be easy since it's just one button, and strap the milk jug to their chest, then shove them out the door. Physics will do the rest. The air in the jug will send them to the surface, if they are small enough, and provide a large amount of bouyancy and assistance if they aren't able to outright float. If you have more than one child, start with the youngest, as they will have the smallest lung capacity.

Now, by this time, you are probably well on your way to the bottom of a lake, and you've probably rolled a lot. Your internal equilibrium will almost certainly be screwed up, you'll be short on air (or breath), and most likely frantic. If there are ANY pockets of air left, perhaps near the back wind-shield, you might want to take a breath. By now the back door will have probably closed again, and the downward motion of the car will probably keep it closed. Don't panic. Roll the window down if it's manual, or climb up front and go out the driver-side window.

Last bit of advice. Remember how messed up your equilibrium will be? Let out a bit of air. Not much, just enough to see where the bubbles go. Follow the bubbles. After you've traveled a few yards, let out some more air. Follow the bubbles. Repeat until you reach the surface. If you try to guess where the surface is without this method, after exiting a sinking, rolling car, you will almost certainly drown. It may feel like you can't possibly sacrifice any more air, scream, then swim like a mofo towards the bubbles. Worst case scenario is that you sacrificed yourself to save the kids.

Originally posted by thelibra
Roll the window down if it's manual

If you're underwater you wouldn't be able to open the window. Thats another thing they tested on the show. The weight of the water makes it impossible to open the window manually or power, even at just 2 ft under water.



[edit on 31/1/2007 by enjoies05]

Originally posted by subject x
Use the time while the car is filling to unbelt yourself and your kids, calmly hold your breath and open the door to exit when the car fills up.

That doesn't work I think. The car will still have a pressure difference between the inside and outside, so even if it is full of water it will still be difficult to get out of.