Taiwan was tragically hit by a robust 7.4-magnitude force earthquake On Wednesday morning and after watching videos on the news, I suddenly realized that I didn’t know what to do if: earthquake hits while driving. I grew up in Angels area throughout my life and it has been like that earthquake drills in school that taught us to duck and take cover under solid surfaces, but there was no mention of how to react when behind the wheel.
If you’re driving a automobile on the time of an earthquake, – says the US Geological Survey pull off the road and stop your automobile away from overpasses, light poles or trees, and if you’re on a bridge, do not stop on the bridge.
The AAA offers a more detailed set of guidelines how to cope earthquake from behind the wheel and what to do after the vibrations stop:
1. Pull over to the side of the road and set the parking brake
Avoid stopping under overpasses or power lines, on bridges or near signs and other hazards which will fall in your vehicle. Remain within the vehicle until the vibrations stop. If you’re able to proceed driving, use caution as it’s possible you’ll encounter fallen debris and cracked or shifted pavement. Watch for emergency vehicles and, as at all times, stop to allow them to pass.
2. If an influence line falls on or near your automobile, do not get out
Also, do not touch metal objects inside, corresponding to the seat belt buckle, steering wheel or door handle, as this may occasionally cause electric shock. Instead, stay still, call 911, after which place your hands in your knees. “Stay inside until a trained person arrives to remove the wire,” Burdick says. In the event of a serious disaster, rescue could also be delayed.
3. If you are driving on the coastal road, tune in to your local radio station and head inland
By listening to your local radio station, you shall be kept up to date with tsunami warnings and evacuation routes. Please keep in mind that a tsunami can reach inland up to 16 km. An earthquake brought on by the San Andreas Fault is unlikely to cause a tsunami since it is to this point from the coast, but an earthquake brought on by an ocean fault can trigger a robust wave. A map of tsunami zones is accessible Here.
4. Top up your fuel
In the event of an influence outage, gas stations won’t find a way to dispense fuel, so at all times replenish at the very least 1 / 4 full.
5. Prepare an earthquake survival kit for every of your vehicles
Ready America and Quake Kare sell pre-assembled kits and offer discounts to AAA members. Here are some items to consider.
Bottled water, ABC class fire extinguishers (equipped to extinguish fires in electrical, grease and gas installations), first aid kit and owner’s manual, emergency signaling devices (whistle, light sticks, battery-powered flasher, reflector, mirror, etc.), reflective triangles to improve vehicle visibility , a flashlight with latest batteries or a hand-crank flashlight, thick work gloves, a compass, jumper cables, adhesive tape, tennis shoes, a tool kit or multi-tool, a rope for towing, rescue, etc. . and paper maps (since it’s possible you’ll not have a cellular connection). Quite a lot of city and region maps can be found freed from charge at at your local AAA chapter.
Unless you’re traveling on or under bridge During an earthquake, it’s safest to slowly stop your automobile in a comparatively open area, away from traffic, and wait out the earthquake.
There are not any guidelines that detail what to do if an earthquake occurs while driving on or under a bridge or viaduct, aside from AAA a tenet that claims “do not stop at a bridge or overpass unless it is safe to do so.” What… who knows what that would mean. One of the most important hazards during earthquakes is falling objects, including trees, buildings and broken glass, so the safest place during an earthquake is probably going to be an open field without trees or structures that would fall.
Realistically, earthquakes strike unexpectedly. When something like this happens, respond to the immediate situation within the safest way possible. More information on earthquake response could be present in the CDC guidelines here.
Credit : jalopnik.com
