Post by Engr. Olayiwola Adeleke (@Elizcrown)

If you must drive during severe rainfall or flooding, the goal is to protect yourself first and your vehicle second.
1. Avoid driving through floodwater if possible. You often cannot judge the depth or whether the road has been washed away.
2. Turn around if the water is flowing across the road or is deeper than the bottom of your car's doors. Even relatively shallow moving water can sweep a vehicle away.
3. If you must cross shallow water, drive slowly and steadily in first gear (or "L" on an automatic). Avoid stopping or changing gears in the water, and don't create a large bow wave.
4. Keep a safe distance from other vehicles because wet roads greatly increase stopping distance.
5. Turn on your headlights so other drivers can see you. Avoid using high beams in heavy rain.
6. Avoid sudden braking or sharp steering, as this can cause skidding.
If your engine stalls in floodwater, do not restart it. Water may have entered the engine, and restarting it can cause severe engine damage (hydrolock). Have the vehicle towed instead.

After driving through any water, lightly apply the brakes several times to help dry them, and inspect the vehicle as soon as possible.
If your car was submerged
Do not start it. Disconnect the battery if it is safe to do so, and have the vehicle inspected for:
Engine water intrusion
Transmission and differential fluid contamination
Brake system
Wheel bearings
Electrical modules, connectors, and sensors
As an auto electrician, you'll know that modern vehicles can develop electrical faults days or even weeks after flood exposure due to corrosion, so a thorough inspection is important even if the car seems to run normally.
The safest advice is simple: if you don't know how deep the water is, don't drive through it. It's usually less costly to delay your trip than to repair a flood-damaged engine or electrical system.

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