Can you escape from a sinking vehicle? The answer is obviously yes. “But you’ve got to be quick.” said Gordon Greisbeck, a professor from the University of Manitoba’s. Here he gives four rules of survival.

Rule 1   Don’t call 911 until you are out of the car. You should get out of that vehicle immediately after unbuckling     Think about calling 911 once you’ve made it out alive. ‘Time is very important,” Greisbeck says, “If you touch your cell phone, you’re probably going to die.”

Rule 2    Don’t open the door. Roll down or break the windows instead. Opening the door is very difficult against the water pressure and it also allows so much water into the vehicle that it will speed up the sinking process. Since most vehicles now have electronically controlled windows, it is probable that the circuits (电路) will short before you have a chance to roll them down. So you’ll need a tool like the Life Hammer to break the windows open. And make sure these tools are within reach at all times.

Rule 3   Children first. Everybody should get out of their own window if possible, but the kids are going to have a harder time fighting through the rush of water, so push them out if you have to. Greisbeck suggests starting with the oldest kids and taking the youngest out in your arms.

Rule 4   Get out. Swim through the broken windows as fast as possible. You can’t imagine what will happen in the next second. Any intention to take your belongings can be deadly.

If you’ve failed to get the windows rolled down or broken, you’ll still have the slightest of chances to escape. Once water fills the car, the pressure will be equalized and you will be able to open the door. But to do this, you will also have to be expert at holding your breath in an extremely stressful situation.