When the rain puts a stream/river in your road, is there a way to tell if it's safe to drive through it?

Question

It's a dirt road, also.

Answer 1

We get a lot of flooded roadways here in central Texas when it rains. A few years ago they came out with a saying that sums it all up. "Turn around! Don't Drown!" We've even had a school bus full of kids swept away. Regardless of what all the others have said about depth, the rule is, "if the water is flowing don't drive into it". All it takes is six inches (not much) of flowing water to push a car down stream. Just remember,"Turn Around! Don't drown". Stay safe.

Answer 2

We had this before and luckily had big 4-wheel drive trucks to get out with. Otherwise, we needed a boat. Unless you plan to walk out there and see how deep it is, there's reallynot a safe way. If you're in a car, part of the dirt on the road could be washed out and made a major hole in the road and you're gonna flood the car and motor and not be able to drag it out until it all dries up. And then it might be completely ruined. Good luck.. Happy Boating!

Answer 3

Funny you should ask that, I was watching AMAZING VIDEOS last night, when they showed this NUT, pull up to this RAGING river, OVER a dirt road, actually decided he could make it, and tried to speed through it! MERCY ME, believe it or not he and his passenger survived this insanity.

Living in Arizona as I do, I would NEVER even THINK of driving over a dirt road with water running, you don't know what MORE is coming down the wash!!!!

Answer 4

If you can't see the bottom, don't drive on it, are ya nuts? lol

The water of only 18 inches can sweep your car away, I've seen it happen. It's not the depth, it's the force of the stream!

Perhaps the other answerers missed the fact that it's a dirt road ... the likelihood of the street being beneath you like normal is good on a concrete street, but on a dirt road, there could be cave-ins.

Answer 5

Its all true (what has been said so far) My dad used to say (about taking risks) "If in doubt, don't" The trick is this
1. Make sure you can see where you are going to come out of the water, if you can't see the end point don't go in
2. As the others said: no deeper than the rim of your wheel at the lowest point
3. go slow, put the car in low gear 1 or low and drive smoothly through to avoide a wave. When you get out drive a little way with your foot gently on the foot brake, this will dry your breaks
Happy motoring

Answer 6

You know the dirt road better than anyone here. Use com en since in dealing with this. You are saying it is a stream/river. If it is a river stay off of it. If it is a stream stay off it. The dirt road will turn to a muddy road and will be easy to slip off the road. So on the safety side stay off of it.

Answer 7

They say, in some areas, it is not safe to drive on a road with as little as six inched of rain accumulation and flowing. That little bit, can move your car.

1) You can't see if there are holes or underwater objects.

2) Depending on the current, it can wash you downstream,
overturn your car and you can get injure yourself or others
and even be killed.

DON'T TRY IT!

Answer 8

A dirt road as long as you can see through the water and it isn't mucky then just go though it.

Answer 9

If the water seems to be moving fairly fast then absolutely not(it often looks slower then it really is. If its a puddle then drive slowly with your door cracked open. If water is getting close to your door frame then you are at risk of flooding your engine.

Answer 10

hmmm get out of your car and throw a rock at it and you should get a idea of how deep it is.. I don't recommend trying to drive through it if your intuition says not to

if you feel cautious then don't do it

unless you feel like being rescued by fire Figthters and being in the news paper or dying... drowning..e tc.