How to Escape a Sinking Car

How to Escape a Car Sinking in Water

What would you do if your car plunged into a body of water?

If you're like a super-spy like James Bond," you really don't need to worry. After all, you're trained for this kind of thing...and you're a genius.

But what about us normal folk? Since watching a recent nail-bitingly intense spy movie where our favorite spy is stuck in a sinking vehicle, we wondered what average drivers like us should do to escape such a situation.

First things first: pop your seatbelt. You'd be surprised how many people end up dying because they panic...and forget that they're still buckled in.

Next, if you can, roll down the windows immediately although not likely electric windows will work in water but if still floating above water, rolldown the window as fast as possible. An open side window is your first means of escape. This is when those of us with manual roll-down windows are thanking our lucky stars -- if you've got automatic windows, you must act fast. In most cars with automatic windows, the motor that powers the window is located halfway up the car door. Once water hits it, you won't be able to roll down your windows and will have to find another means of escape. [Full story]