Expert Explains How To Escape From A Submerged Car With Children

It’s an all-too-common tragedy. Four children have died in just over a week in the Bay Area after being trapped in submerged cars.

Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, from the University of Manitoba, says his research demonstrates that it is possible to survive in a sinking car, provided you follow four steps.

Professor Giesbrecht is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on cold water submersion. He says 350-to-400 Americans drown in submerged vehicles each year, accounting for up to 10% of all drowning deaths. According to data from Centers for Disease Control, that’s more than the number of people who drown in boating accidents.

Giesbrecht says the key to surviving is to remember this mantra: Seat belt, Window, Children, Out.

[nataliianezhynska]

This video is about to get a lot more views after the container ship disaster in Baltimore. I hope this skill saves lives.

[HKPSGShooter]

Right now, I have a US patent pending on a device which installs within the doors of vehicles, during an immersion incident, the rising water trips the mechanism and it automatically breaks the side windows, allowing for escape.

[landongendur]

If I designed a car, I'd have 4 large exterior airbags pop out (one for each corner of the car) the moment the car senses flooding under the dashboard. Float the car to a survivable level. If it saves even 1 life it would be worth it.

[detonationpyrotechnics]

I think quick release for children car seats is a must

[patrickrichmond]

We do need to bug our legislators about getting escape latches put on child car seats.

[elizabethgervasi]

I bought a window breaker and a seatbelt cutter.Now to put the life jackets in the car with the first aid kits.Better safe than sorry.

[Echevaler]

How could people not know this you see the headrest just take it out you see the thing under it smash it to the window it was made for these situations I mean when you do tht it really depends on you if your going to panic or not

[saff]

unbuckling them oldest to youngest
me, the oldest child: 🙂✌️

[EamonWill]

Any other parents here after waking up from anxiety dreams? 😮‍💨

[CMchyy]

God Bless and thank you for this information.

[mackeyjaylozada]

I think I can do this the only problem is I can’t swim for shit

[sharonromero]

So if you have car seat, do you open the back window?

[addylimelight]

what if you had a newborn baby in the car that would take time to get out

[sabraiyathomas]

cars sinking in water is like sinking in quicksand

[baris]

I wanna know what to do when the windows cant be let down anymore, man is it that hard

[karimccall]

Ok what if your can't swim. And what? Like how do you hey out the car with so much water rushing in and trying to get the kids out. You can't just walk out. I don't get it

[tresnamaro]

What I don't get is why protocol makes you open the windows before getting everyone out of their seats/seatbelts first. Wouldn't the rushing water obscure vision and make it difficult for you to help people in the back?

If it were me, I'd focus on getting everyone out of their seatbelts, and if they're babies/kids then carrying them to the front row, THEN opening my window and pushing them out. So I don't have to fuss around unbuckling stuff with a torrent of water flooding my car.

So instead of SEATBELT-WINDOW-CHILDREN-OUT, it would be SEATBELT-CHILDREN-WINDOW-OUT

Thoughts?

[rynetehansky]

Your supposed to open your windows as fast as possible so you can even escape the vehicle now I don't know if the lady said that bc I just went straight to the comments lol I'll find out though

[jbb]

How on earth are these cars getting into the water in the first place

[EMMANUELIWUOHA.]

I'm lucky I have pills that will enable one to breathe underwater for at least 2 hours.