How to escape from a submerged vehicle

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This article was published 18/11/2009 (5969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PROFESSOR Popsicle was all about safety on Tuesday.

University of Manitoba’s Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht submerged himself in a car in the Red River at St. Vital Park to raise awareness after the recent death of Brandon softball player Ashley Neufeld, who drowned with two friends when their Jeep plunged into a pond in North Dakota.

He said once a car begins to be submerged in water, the best window of opportunity is within the first minute.

"The car will float for that first minute and then the chances of survival decrease rapidly," Giesbrecht said.

The three most important points to keep in mind are:

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• Remove your seatbelt immediately;
• if you have any children in the car, remove their seatbelts;
• and roll down the window and
• get out.

"Seatbelt, children, window, out," is his mantra.

Giesbrecht said there is no guarantee the windows will work, whether they are manual or automatic, so all drivers should mount a rescue hammer in a visible place in the car.