The survival chances of occupants of cars that have landed in water can be increased if motorists know better how to act in such circumstances and if they can have a 'life-hammer' at their disposal. The Minister of Transport in the Netherlands should, furthermore, aim at getting the European Union-wide requirements for cars such that it will no longer occur that, when a car lands in water, a) the car doors no longer get locked by short-circuiting, and b) the electric opening of windows and doors no longer work. The Dutch Transport Safety Board has formulated these recommendations based on a safety study of accidents resulting in cars landing in water. It appears that, in the Netherlands, an average of 750 — 800 cars a year land in water. In these accidents, about 30 people die by drowning. One of the problems of this accident type is the possibility, as a result of a short-circuit, the doors and windows can no longer be opened. It is even imaginable that, as a result of short-circuiting, the doors become locked in such a way that it is no longer possible to open them manually. Another problem is the increased strength of car windows. The front windscreens are already made of laminated glass, which are almost impossible to smash open from inside. According to the Dutch Transport Safety Board, the Minister of Transport, together with a number of organizations, should inform motorists about aspects such as 'escape through side windows, try to smash the window in a corner (and nót in the middle)'. Non-motorists should also know this to be able to provide help more effectively. A study by NIPO (one of Holland's market research agencies) has shown that, among motorists as well as non-motorists, many have insufficient knowledge about these aspects. The Board has, for example, established that many people, especially the elderly, do not know what to do when a car has landed in water. Many people still think that it is sensible to first wait until the car has filled with water, and only then to try and get out. This advice used to be given because it was assumed that an air bubble developed under the roof, in which the occupants could breathe. For dozens of years now this advice is no longer given, among other reasons because nowadays cars usually sink with their fronts downwards. Also the roof construction is usually constructed so that no air bubble can develop. During the study it was also further determined that accidents in which cars land in water often occur after the car has slipped and, rolling over or not, leaves the road. In such a case, the chance of it becoming fatal is large, especially if no seatbelts were used and the occupants were thrown out of the car. See also ST 20030028 and ST 20030029.
Abstract