Your car can’t protect you from floodwater. If it’s flooded, forget it.
With holidays around the corner, and the severe weather season well and truly underway, the Queensland Government’s latest instalment in the long-running If it’s flooded, forget it campaign is a timely reminder about the dangers of driving in severe weather.
Your car can’t protect you from floodwater explores what happens to your car in floodwater and reminds drivers that flooding can take anyone by surprise.
Vehicle-related incidents are a leading cause of flood related deaths, with more lives lost in Queensland than anywhere else in Australia.
Driving during severe weather in Queensland, you never know what’s around the corner.
A car can be swept away in as little as 15cm of floodwater, and even in shallow floodwater, steering, electrics and the engine can all fail.
Alarmingly, research suggests many drivers overestimate their car’s ability to drive through water, even if they’ve never tried.
From hot and dry conditions to torrential downpours Queensland’s weather can change in a flash.
So, before you head out in the car; check the weather, and the roads, and have a plan to stay safe when severe weather strikes.
Always drive to the conditions, and if in doubt, wait it out.
If it’s flooded, forget it is managed by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority as part of Get Ready Queensland.
Be sure to share this important campaign with your family and friends this severe weather season.
Head to www.qld.gov.au/FloodedForgetIt for expert advice and practical tips and be sure to follow @GetReadyQueensland on social media.
Bundaberg Regional Council’s Disaster Dashboard provides the community with essential information during severe weather events.
Information on the Disaster Dashboard includes:
- Emergency news
- Road conditions
- Power outages
- Weather warnings
- River heights
- Flood cameras
The Dashboard also provides links to emergency contacts as well as information on how to get ready for severe weather events.
Get to know the Disaster Dashboard: opt-in for alerts
Residents have the option to opt-in to receive disaster and emergency-related alerts directly to their phone or email.
Allowing residents to customise the alerts they can receive, the system covers a spectrum of alerts from weather warnings to emergency news and river height updates.
Opt-in by visiting the Disaster Dashboard, selecting opt-in and following prompts to register and verify your account.
If you require assistance with the sign up process you can access the user guide here.
