Two Vehicles Swept Into North Austin Creek on Christmas Eve
December 28th, 2023
Two vehicles were swept into a creek in North Austin on Christmas Eve, leaving several people stranded and in need of rescue. If you ever drive or crash into water, there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe. Keep reading to learn more about the Christmas Eve accident and what to do in case of a car flood from the team at Ramos James Law, PLLC, Austin personal injury lawyers.
The North Austin Accident
On December 24, heavy rainfall swept two vehicles from the road near Quail Creek Neighborhood Park in the 1100 block of Rutland Drive north of West Rundberg Lane.
At around 7:15 a.m., Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) received reports of a vehicle carrying several passengers being swept off the road and into a creek. Travis County Star Flight and the Austin Fire Department also arrived on the scene to assist with search and rescue.
Two individuals were discovered and rescued from the creek but were not in need of medical attention. ATCEMS also reported rescuing people from trees.
While responding to the first vehicle, officials discovered a second vehicle upside down in the creek. The second vehicle could not be searched until water levels receded. ATCEMS also relayed that two victims were safe on high ground but “unable to exit.” The search continued for a victim who was reportedly seen by the driver of one of the vehicles in the creek.
As of ATCEMS’s final update, there were no additional victims reported and two people were still stuck on high ground.
What To Do if Your Car Is Flooding
Even as little as six inches of water can be enough to make you lose control of your vehicle, so it’s no surprise that higher water levels can be incredibly dangerous. That’s why it’s so important to avoid driving in poor weather or driving through rainwater. However, whether due to flash flooding or poor road maintenance, sometimes we can find ourselves driving into water despite our best efforts.
Crashing into water can be incredibly dangerous, but knowing what to do can help keep you calm and keep you safe. If you ever find your vehicle entering water high enough to stall the engine, there are steps you can take to avoid a potentially deadly incident:
- Stay calm
- Roll down all your windows
- Break windows that can’t be rolled down
- Take off your seatbelt
- Help any passengers still restrained
- Exit through a window
- Swim to safety
While a flooding vehicle can be extremely dangerous, these incidents are not among the most common types of accidents. In fact, drowning deaths account for only about 1% of all car accident fatalities.