October 26, 2010

A man who drove his car into the Delta near Stockton, CA survived the crash — even though he was trapped in the vehicle, under water, for more than 30 minutes. It’s still unclear how the man survived, according to News 10, but a couple hours after being rescued from his vehicle, the man was breathing.

The incident happened just after 12:30 p.m. Monday when a witness said the car drove off a levee road, near Stockton’s Brookside neighborhood.

Stockton fire crews were slowed in their rescue efforts because the car was upside down under the surface of the San Joaquin River. Fire officials at the scene said that positioning made it difficult to open a car door, but eventually, he was rescued and survived. The man’s name has not been released.

According to insurance and automotive groups, more than 11,000 accidents occur each year in which a vehicle ends up in the water. An estimated 300 people drown each year in their car or truck, many of them needlessly.

In most water crashes, a vehicle will float for a period of time before the weight of the engine pulls the vehicle under. This should allow the driver enough time to calmly follow the procedures that can get him out alive.

Below is the procedure Jason Morss, a firefighter/paramedic with the Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department in southern Florida, and other safety experts recommend following if your car should crash into water:

1. Stay CalmThe most important thing is stay calm, according to Morss. “Staying calm absolutely is the number one priority,” Morss told ABC News. “Once you lose that control you pretty much lose everything else.” 
2. Unbuckle Your Seatbelt“When things go wrong under water, there’s not time for any second chances,” says Morss. “You have one brief opportunity to get the seatbelt off and get either the window down or the door open and get out of the vehicle,” says Morss. 
3. Try to Exit Through the WindowTry to open a window. As the vehicle begins to fill with water, the first exit to try is through a window. Don’t worry if the window is electric: experts say power windows usually keep working under water for some time. If the windshield shatters, use that as an exit. 
4. Try to Open the DoorIf you can’t open a window, calmly wait for the water level inside the car to rise so the pressure equalizes and you can open the door. When a vehicle enters the water, it can be hard to open the door because of the water pressure pushing on it from outside. 
5. Help Children FirstGet a child out first. If you are with a child, get them out of their car seat and push them through the window or door. 
6. Swim to the SurfaceThen get out yourself and follow them to the surface.