As a part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) wants to remind Hoosier drivers of severe weather basics to keep themselves and their passengers safe in the event of a potential emergency.
As a reminder to drivers both new and experienced, the Indiana Driver’s Manual, available at any BMV location or on the BMV’s website, offers safe solutions to drivers should they encounter severe weather-related conditions on the roadways:
- When driving on wet roads, drivers should make sure they are not driving on bald or badly worn tires, pay attention to any motorcycles that may have pulled off to the side of the road or under a bridge, and that wet roads can cause hydroplaning especially immediately after it begins to rain.
- Flash flooding causes more deaths than any other roadway weather event each year. If a driver gets caught in a storm or comes upon a hazardous situation, the driver should abandon the vehicle if it stalls in a flooded area, and NOT drive around any traffic barricades, past road closed signs, or where water is covering the road.
- If your car plunges into water, drivers should not attempt to open a door, exit via a window or a sunroof, and never re-enter the vehicle once exited.
- If there are power outages in the area and a driver approaches an intersection without a working traffic signal, treat the intersection as if it were a four-way stop. Stop, then proceed with caution.
Additionally, each BMV branch has a Severe Weather Plan designed to keep both customers and documentation safe in the event of an emergency. Any customer in a branch during severe weather will be directed to an interior room away from windows. If severe weather occurs during normal business hours while our staff are onsite, our branches are open to anyone needing to seek shelter.