Many people know what to do if a tornado hits when they are at home. But here’s a question of concern to our firm’s Little Rock, Arkansas area car accident lawyers: Do you know what to do if a tornado hits while you are driving?
Here are some tips from our Arkansas accident and injury attorneys:
If you see a dark or green colored sky, a large low-lying cloud, large hail, or a loud train like roar then you should seek shelter immediately. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car because tornadoes can reach speeds of over 60 mph. An EF-1, the lowest rated tornado, has strong enough winds to turn your car over.
The best place to take shelter is on the lowest level of a sturdy building. If you find yourself in your car while the tornado sirens are going off, then get to the nearest sturdy building as quickly as possible.
If there are no buildings around look for any spot that is lower than the level of the roadway (like a ditch), leave your car, and lie as low as possible with your head covered by your hands or an object. Do not hide underneath your vehicle.
If the roadway is the lowest point around you then stay in your car with your seatbelt on and try to bend below the windows with your hands or an object covering your head. Also, keep the car running so that the air bags will deploy if necessary. It is a good idea to keep a blanket in your car at all times so that you can use it as protection if something like this were to happen.
An overpass is not a safe place to hide. Wind can actually be worse under the overpass, making it more likely for you to be struck by debris.
Do not move until you are positive that the tornado has passed. Once it has, watch for debris and fallen power lines when you head back to your car. Turn on the weather channel on your radio as soon as you get in the car to hear updates and head to the closest shelter until the bad weather has cleared out.
If you are involved in a car accident in the Little Rock, Arkansas area, our lawyers can help. You can schedule an appointment with the auto accident attorneys at the Levar Law Injury & Accident Lawyers online or call us directly at (888) 220-7068.
