What would you do?
New statistics gathered by the Environment Agency (EA) and the AA, have revealed that older drivers are the ones most likely to risk driving their car through flood water than younger motorists with less experience.
The survey involved questioning 19,018 AA members. Of those asked whether they would attempt to drive through flood water, nearly half (49%) of motorists over the age of 65 said they would drive through flood water rather than turning around to find a safer route, putting both themselves and their vehicle at risk.
Car stranded in flood water in Staffordshire © Copyright Roger Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
In comparison, only 40% of drivers aged between 18 and 24 said they would risk driving through flood water, despite the fact they had less experience behind the wheel than older motorists.
Even more surprising was the fact that 48% of all drivers questioned said they would risk the dangers of driving through flood water, rather than looking for an alternative route.
The information has been released to warn motorists of the dangers of driving through flood water and to remind drivers that a car is able to float in as little as 30cms of water, so avoiding flooded areas and finding a safer route is always the right option.
Last year, parts of the UK suffered from extreme weather conditions and many areas saw flooding, with many homes and businesses damaged by days of heavy rain. This year, motorists are being reminded of the dangers of travelling through flooded areas, so as to avoid getting stuck and having to be rescued.
Over the past five years, the AA have been called out to around 23,000 flood related rescues, most of which were avoidable.
The poll also found that men and women’s attitudes were quite different, with only 26% of males saying they would turn round and look for an alternative route, compared to 38% of females.
When asked if they would cancel their journey, 30% of women said they would compared to 25% of men.
The survey also discovered that drivers (51%) from the North and South East (not including London), were the most likely to risk driving through flood water. Motorists in London, however, were the least likely to try and continue on their journey by driving through flood water.
AA’s Director of Road Operations, Olly Kunc, said: “While it’s easy to assume it will never happen to you, even the most experienced driver could be out of their depth in flood water.”
Remember – flood water is dangerous for you, your passengers and the rescuers. For the sake of a small detour, please turn around and find an alternative route – it’s not worth the risk!
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