What to do when your car is submerged in water

Families are praying for a miracle after a horrific bridge collapse in Baltimore.

The six missing construction workers are now presumed dead. They were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when a cargo ship slammed into a support pillar.

The collapse happened around 1:30 Tuesday morning. Officials say rescuers found two people in the near-freezing cold water and pulled them out.

• RELATED: Local perspective of bridge collapse in Baltimore

This marine traffic data shows the path the Dali ship traveled before the crash. It was just a few minutes into its journey from the port of Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, when tragedy struck. The crew on board warned state officials the ship had lost propulsion and that hitting the bridge was a possibility.

Maryland’s governor said their quick thinking saved many lives, as authorities were able to stop the flow of traffic.

They said there were cars on the bridge, and some had already been detected with sonar equipment in the river.

Florida saw a similar tragedy with the Sunshine Skyway back in 1980. 35 people died as that bridge collapsed after being hit by a freighter during bad weather.

The images of these tragedies are burned in our minds, especially here in Southwest Florida, where we rely on countless bridges to connect us.

It really makes you wonder what you would do in that situation.

WINK spoke with experts about how you can save yourself in a scary situation like what happened.

• RELATED: How to escape a submerged vehicle

They recommend having a life hammer, which can cut your seatbelt and break a car window with a simple flick of the wrist.

You only have seconds once your car hits the water. In about thirty seconds, a submerged car is half full of air and half full of water.

That means every moment counts and having the proper tool could save your life.

According to Andrea Shuch from the Cape Coral Fire Department, it has a seatbelt cutter and a punch so that you can break a window.

There are three things you need to remember when your car goes in.

“Seatbelt off, window open, out of car,” Shuch said.

But you shouldn’t take that seatbelt can’t come off at any point before you hit the water. That’s because it’ll brace you for impact and make it easier to help others.

“If they’re not secure, then they could have moved to a different position in the car and you’re going to want to be moving very quickly,” Shuch said.

We also spoke with Deputy Chief John Dimaria with the Sanibel Fire and Rescue. He shared some written tips on what to do as you fall from a bridge.

Preparation for any emergency is always rule number one. But in the event that you are involved in a bridge collapse, there are a few things to keep in mind. Being seat belted while operating any motor vehicle is always rule number one for your safety in any accident. In the event of a bridge collapse due to the height of that bridge, the seatbelt will help you brace for the impact, whether that be on land or in water. 

Depending on how the vehicle lands, the airbags may deploy so if you are the driver of the vehicle, keeping your hands on the steering wheel will help avoid any further injury due to its deployment. 

If you’re the passenger, although it may be a automatic reflex, you should try not to brace yourself by putting your head down or raising your arms. This could increase your chances of becoming injured. I know this is easier said than done, but trying to remain calm will help increase you and your passengers chances of surviving the event. 

If this is a bridge over water you want to undo your seatbelt and open your window as soon as possible to escape. The reason for this is the pressures against a closed window once the vehicle is submerged may make it difficult to open. 

A good idea or safety tip is to have a window punch or a glass breaking hammer inside of your vehicle readily accessible. If you do, make sure that your passengers, including children, know how to use them. Keeping them in plain sight may help with utilizing them faster. 

Once the window is open, you and your passengers can escape through that window. If you have electric windows, they may still work for a brief period of time before the vehicle becomes submerged. If you have to swim, make sure that you kick as hard as you can to clear the vehicle. 

If you do have children in the vehicle, you want to try to get the oldest one out first. That way, they can be assistants if needed. If you can’t get out through a window, then you may still be able to escape through the door. However, you may have a difficult time opening the door due to the pressures. You will have to wait until the car completely fills with water and the pressures inside and outside equalize. Trying to open a vehicle door with unequal pressures could be a very difficult task. Once you do escape from the vehicle, swim to the surface as quickly as possible.