Driving into floodwaters, is it worth the risk?

              Bulletin No. 4
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SERIES
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
3800 N. Classen Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
(405) 530-8800
www.owrb.state.ok.us
Oklahoma Dept. of Emergency Management
P.O. Box 53365
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3365
(405) 521-2481
OKLAHOMA
Tulsa Field Office
State Agencies Bldg., Rm. 2
440 S. Houston
Tulsa, OK 74127
(918) 581-2924
Woodward Field Office
2411 Williams Ave., Ste. 116
Woodward, OK 73801
(580) 256-1014
Lawton Field Office
601 “C” Avenue, Ste. 101
P.O. Box 886
Lawton, OK 73502
(580) 248-7762
McAlester Field Office
321 S. 3rd Street, Ste. 5
McAlester, OK 74501
(918) 426-5435
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District
Floodplain Management Division
1645 S. 101st East Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74128
(918) 669-4919
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Region VI
800 N. Loop 288
Denton, TX 76209-3606
(940) 898-5399
www.fema.gov/nfip
FEDERAL
This bulletin was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States
Government. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the United
States Government or any agency thereof.
This publication was developed by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) and published
with funding from the Community Assistance Program under cooperative agreement No. EMT-
2005-GR-0010 between the Federal Emergency Management Agency, State of Oklahoma
Department of Civil Emergency Management, and OWRB. To obtain printed copies, please
contact the OWRB at 405-530-8800 or pubinfo@owrb.state.ok.us.
For More Information
Published by the
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Driving into Floodwaters: Is it worth the risk? - Page 1
Driving into Floodwaters: Is it worth the risk?
Oklahoma is well-known for the awe-inspiring
tornados that frequent the state
each year. However, more deaths occur
in an average year due to flooding than
from any other natural hazard.
Specifically, almost one-half of all flash
flood fatalities occur in vehicles. While
most Oklahomans respect the
destructive potential of tornadic storms
and go to great lengths to shelter
themselves and their families from such
disasters, most tend to underestimate
the force and power of moving water.
Drivers with poor judgment
attempt to navigate their
vehicles through dangerous
floodwaters. They drive
around road barricades, into
flooded underpasses, or
through water flowing across
a road.
Tragic Results of Driving into Floodwaters
• April 26, 1998—One adult and two children died as their car was swept off a road and
down a tributary of Burris Creek in Pontotoc County.
• April 27, 1998—A man died as his car was swept off a low-water crossing over Fred
Creek in southwest Tulsa, a crossing with permanent warning signs.
• June 20, 1999—A person died when his vehicle was swept off the road while attempting
to cross a low-water bridge over a branch of Pryor Creek near Adair, Oklahoma.
• June 30, 1999—The driver of a pickup truck attempted to cross a marked low-water bridge
over Evansville Creek in Adair County east of Stilwell, Oklahoma. He died when his truck
was swept off the road into fast-moving waters. Fortunately, the passenger managed to
swim to safety.
• May 2000—A Tulsa woman was killed after the car she was driving stalled in floodwaters.
Driving into Floodwaters: Is it worth the risk? - Page 2
Fact #1
It is often impossible to tell how deep the water is or if the
road is even there. Floodwaters often scour deep holes
and break huge chunks off paved surfaces.
Fact #2
Just a foot or two of moving water over the roadway can
provide the force to lift a car off
the road and put the lives of its
passengers in grave danger.
Fact #3
Accidents in floodwaters can
happen to the best of drivers.
Even if the car ahead of you
makes it through safely, you may
not.
Fact #4
The faster you drive through
water, the less contact your tires
have with the road, making it
easier to lose control of your
vehicle.
Fact #5
Limited visibility makes
floodwaters especially
treacherous at night, increasing
the vulnerability of the driver to
hidden dangers.
Fact #6
Drive with special care when it’s
raining. Turn back or choose an
alternate route if you encounter
moving water. Your life may
depend on it. Published by the
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Driving into Floodwaters: Is it worth the risk? - Page 3
When there is moving water on the
roadway, your life may depend on
remembering these facts: