The first rule of the road in Australia when it comes to flooded roads is a simple one: don’t put your vehicle in water you can’t properly judge, for the most part don’t go in at all. And yet there are those who get caught out because the water appears shallow or a 4WD instils a misplaced confidence, or the road is one they know well. It is not a lot of water to put an engine out of action in no man’s land, or to conceal a washaway.
My name is Matilda Lawson and I would put forward this as the safety tip with the most merit: turn around don’t drown. There is nothing cinematic about what befalls people on our roads; it is a matter of bad timing, spotty reception and overconfidence. In Australia the water will rise and run fast and obscure any damage from where you are sitting. The quintessentially Australian “it’ll be right” attitude does not always hold up.
Some Rules To Start With
We will come to the finer points in a moment but for now let us be plain about the things that save lives. Should you take away one part of this guide, let it be these rules for when the sky lets go and your plans are rendered moot by a brown river where the road was.
- Do not drive through unless you have clear sight of the road and the authorities have given the all clear for your make of vehicle.
- Road closed signs, barriers and flood warnings are to be heeded. They are no mere decoration.
- Take it as read that the water is more foul and swift than you think.
- When you see it on the road, pull up well back and make your assessment from a safe remove. Walking into current to gauge depth is not the answer.
- In any doubt, turn around and seek higher ground or an alternate way. A call to 000 is for when life is in immediate peril; otherwise put in to your state emergency service for storm and flood assistance.
How Fast An Australian Road Can Become Risky
You do not have to be in a particular season or state to encounter flood danger. Urban streets and country causeways alike can have flash flooding issues, as can inland tracks after upstream rain has done its work hours before, or in the Top End in the wet. Travelers should be particularly cautious of wet conditions driving on scenic paths. A road dry at breakfast time may be impassable by lunch.
There is a misconception that knowing a road makes it safe. If a culvert has given way or a creek has overran its banks, the fact you were on it last week is of little consequence. Rural track flooding can undermine the bitumen overnight. Familiarity is a trap that lulls you.
Hot Spots
Unsealed tracks, low-level crossings and anything near a drainage channel or river are where the risk is greatest. Cyclones will put an end to roads in the north in short order. Down south an intense storm cell can produce local flooding of a dangerous kind even when it is not technically flood season.
I have observed long distance drivers who have a town in view or fuel is hard to come by and press on, deeming the situation manageable rather than inconvenient. More often than not it is the difference between an inconvenience and having to be rescued.
What You Don’t See
Think of floodwater as more than just an unruly road surface. Under that brown expanse there could be potholes to ruin your suspension, oil, tree limbs, sinkholes or sharp debris. The water gives no indication of what is below.
At a causeway you might see a flat surface from the car but the flow is deceptively strong, particularly at the downstream side. When the tyres let go the water has its way and the steering wheel is for show.
Then there is the washaway. The base of the road has been eaten out and the edges are weak, only waiting for the weight of a car to bring them down. It can seem like you are treading the cautious path until the shoulder crumbles underfoot as if it were an old biscuit.
Then there is the matter of what floodwater conceals: fencing wire, debris, gravel banks and branches that will puncture a tyre or get in the way of an axle. In the country you may well be driving through livestock waste, sewage or chemicals. And when you have put the crossing behind you, you could find your underbody, electrics and brakes are not in as good order as you would have them believe.
Why Vehicles Fail Early
Being swept off your feet is the obvious danger but many a vehicle has come to a halt well before that happens. Water finds its way into the engine intake, compromises the electrics and braking, and you are left with nowhere to go as the water level goes up. The SES are blunt for a reason in their advice to steer clear of such crossings.
One should put to rest the 4WD myth. To be sure a large vehicle will sit up better than a hatch on a muddy track, but do not think it is proof against buoyancy, a current or some hidden washout. I have seen too many put faith in their bull bars and badges as though they were flotation devices. They are no such thing.
Buoyancy Starts Earlier Than You Think
There is a rule of thumb in Australian road safety circles: give or take 15 cm and a car will float under certain conditions. It is a handy figure to have because it puts an end to the “I’ll just ease through” attitude. Before long the tyres have no firm purchase and the water is pressing on the side of the vehicle and you have lost control.
The caveat is that it is the type of vehicle, the load, the speed of the water and the lay of the road that make the difference. So consider 15 cm a threshold for warning, not something to aim at. It does not mean 14 cm is acceptable; what looks very shallow can be deadly.
| Hazard | What Drivers Often Assume | Reality |
| Shallow water over bitumen | taken at a slow pace it is safe | Not so; you cannot tell the depth and the current is deceptively strong. |
| 4WD clearance | the vehicle is up to it | A higher ride height is no protection from being washed away or having the engine damaged. |
| A local you know well | you are aware of the dips | But culverts and shoulders are not as they were on your last outing. |
| Rain has stopped | the risk is over | Upstream runoff will continue to build once the skies are clear. |
| No debris in a low crossing | nothing to worry about below | Look closer and you will see potholes and edges that have been damaged. |
What To Do At The Crossing
When you come across water on the road, do not try to be a hero. Make the unexciting decision to head home. Even if the fellow driver ahead of you makes it look simple.
On regional roads after a good rain one notices the impatience setting in. A ute will putter through and then the next person in an SUV figures he might as well. He has different tyres, different weight, and will have a different outcome. That is where you get preventable rescues.
Safe Response Steps
Put some distance between yourself and the water, enough to be on stable ground. Put the hazards on if you can and there is traffic at your back. See if there is any current running across the road, any markers or posted closures.
An official closure means the matter is decided. Cones and barriers are not to be driven around. If the road is open but wet, ring the authorities, check for warnings and opt for the safer course of action, be it to wait or turn back. For weather and road info the Bureau Of Meteorology is the source to use. All the agencies in Australia are of one mind on this: do not enter floodwater and abide by local directions.
If Your Car Gets Trapped
You would rather not have to refer to this part but it is important. Should the vehicle start to float or stall, you will not have time to deliberate. Whether you can get out safely and if the car is holding its own will dictate what to do.
Some will tarry in an effort to put right the car or salvage the laptop and the week’s shopping. Do not. Leave the machine. You are not one.
Escape And Survival Steps
When the water is not too deep to exit with impunity and there is no current holding the doors, make for higher ground at once. Should the pressure on the doors be too great, a side window is your option; if it is an electric one and will not work, put a window-breaking tool to use if you are in possession of one. Side glass gives way more readily than a front windscreen.
In circumstances where the vehicle is being carried off or the outside current is hazardous, do not leave unless staying put is the greater danger. If remaining in the car affords the best immediate protection, then do so and dial 000 should life be in jeopardy. One can go to the roof when it is safe and above the waterline.
Once out, keep clear of floodwater. There are things in it you cannot see: drains, contamination, sharp objects, snakes or an abrupt drop-off. The Royal Life Saving Australia and emergency services are wont to point out that even a good swimmer can drown in a flood. No amount of swimming prowess negates cold shock, exhaustion or the force of moving water.
Plan Before You Leave
You will save yourself grief, fuel and perhaps the vehicle with some forethought before setting out on any drive through country that is prone to flooding, be it an inland route, bush track, coast road or scenic loop. The ideal rescue is one that does not have to be made.
On a scenic path in wet weather, factor in detours, patchy mobile service and muddy parking. A pretty road is still subject to flooding, and the gum trees and cliffs are indifferent to your schedule.
What To Check Before Travel
The state road authority, like Transport for NSW, or the relevant traffic site will have details on closures and river levels as well as weather warnings. For those in Victoria, VICSES has information of value in the event of flash flooding or heavy rain. Get Ready Queensland is a source of sound advice for travellers and households in that state.
Heading into the remote? Make sure someone knows your plan, including the route and when you expect to arrive. Have paper directions and a charged phone with cable in the off chance reception fails, along with your medications, a torch, snacks and water. A first aid kit, some stout shoes, a hammer for breaking windows and rain gear round out a sensible kit.
Then there is the matter of expectation against reality. A map may indicate a short way around but in poor conditions you could be an hour or more over it thanks to debris or a road train. With only a day to spare, stick to routes that have sealed-road options and towns to hand instead of a remote loop with creek crossings.
| Trip Type | Best For | Watch Outs | Practical Note |
| Metro And Suburban Driving | Most drivers | Underpasses, flash floods, what you can see | Make time for local closures and congestion |
| Regional Highway Travel | Those with long-distance experience | Fatigue, creek crossings, the length of a detour | Get your fuel early, do not count on the next town |
| Scenic Coastal Routes | Holidaymakers and day trippers | Water on the road, landslips, nowhere to park | See what the return route is like |
| Remote Tracks And Causeways | Experienced and well-prepared | Rural flooding, no reception, a slow rescue | Unsettled weather is no place for novices |
Who Should Be Extra Cautious
A degree of conservatism is called for on some roads by new drivers, caravan and campervan hirers, visitors who do not know Australian conditions, or anyone in a two-wheel-drive or low-clearance car. If that comes across as stern, so be it. Stranded is worse.
One need only look at the NRSPP or the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience for expert opinion. They will tell you human judgement is where it goes wrong. Information is usually not the issue; people have a habit of underestimating the water and themselves.
Common Mistakes People Make
To put faith in the decision of another driver. To judge the depth from the comfort of the car. Or to think the danger has passed because the rain has let up. The sting of it is the lag from the rain to the road flooding you find in a creek system or catchment.
Then there is the matter of bad logistics. One will see drivers set off with half a tank and no paper map, let alone an alternative plan when a crossing is shut. In the outback a “quick look” on an unsealed track can put hundreds if not thousands of dollars on your recovery bill, what with the cost of access and the distance to be towed. They are not cheap in rural Australia, some would say eye-watering.
Local Help
Put any social media rumour aside for official local information when things change; it is the better bet. Neighbours are fine but for flood advice you want the agencies that have put out the warnings and are in charge of closures and response. Call 000 for a life-threatening emergency, otherwise the local state emergency service is where to go for storm or flood assistance.
That could be the SES, VICSES, Transport for NSW or the like, depending on the state. Get Ready Queensland is worth a look for community and household preparation ahead of the storms. But conditions and the official word with them can be fluid so make sure you have the most recent local updates before you put wheel to road.
- 000 is for the emergency services if there is immediate danger.
- For anything to do with floods or storms, ring your local SES.
- Heed the Bureau of Meteorology for their severe weather and rainfall warnings.
- And check with the state road authority on any closures prior to leaving and en route as well.
- Should reception be poor, put in a stop at a town or service area of safety instead of pressing on into the unknown.
FAQ
You will hear these questions after someone has remarked “It didn’t look that deep.” Understandable, but old bush-road folklore is often wrong and floodwater has a way of deceiving.
4WD and Driving Through Water?
As a rule of thumb, no. A 4WD might have the clearance but it does not insulate you from the current, a compromised engine intake, brake trouble or the fact the vehicle could become buoyant. Do not think size gives you licence to put yourself in harm’s way.
15 Cm Will Float A Car?
In the right conditions it will. The 15cm figure is more about having an awareness of risk than a hard and fast limit. With water speed, the make and shape of the car and the road underfoot all coming into play, one should be wary even of shallow water.
And if I don’t heed the risk and the engine gives up?
Do not attempt to restart. There is likely water in the engine and you will only compound the damage. See if you can get out to higher ground or, if the current is too much of a hazard, stay put in the vehicle and call for help.
Is an Overly Cautious Road Closed Sign A Thing?
They can seem that way on a passable road but that is no excuse. What is not apparent from the front seat could be a washaway or a culvert that has given way, hence the sign.
Car Floods Once The Water Recedes?
There is not much to it: don’t start the car, put some distance between yourself and any hazard, make note of the damage and put in a call to your insurer or roadside assistance. Before the car is back on the road a mechanical assessment is in order since the water will have made its mark on the electrics, airbags, upholstery and the like.
A Word From Matilda
Take this for your practical lesson: being delayed is a nuisance but floodwater can be deadly and is always costly. It is not a case of memorising some nifty off-road ploy for safety on Australia’s flooded roads but to make sensible, unglamorous choices before panic takes over.
I get the urge. You are worn out, the kids are getting on your nerves and the bakery shuts in thirty minutes, and the road is almost fine. Almost is doing some heavy lifting there. Make a thermos stop, turn back and be late rather than the subject of everyone’s conversation with a tinnie in hand come later.