What Should You Do If Your Car Hits A Power Line And Stalls?

Here's an unpleasant scenario to think about: let's say you're driving on a residential road next to a line of utility poles holding up lines for energy and communication. Suddenly, for one reason or another, you lose control of your vehicle and end up crashing right into one of those utility poles. The impact causes one of the power lines to come loose and fall either onto or near your car. To make matters worse, the impact has also caused your car to stall out, leaving you effectively stranded in the proximity of an extremely dangerous live wire.

It's a very frightening situation to think about, and in the heat of the moment, a degree of panic would definitely be understandable. However, in the interest of your safety, it's absolutely vital that you do your best to stay calm and follow proper safety procedures. In this case, the best course of action is to remain in your vehicle and call for help immediately. Emergency services will come to your rescue as soon as possible, as well as put a call out to the company operating the power grid to temporarily halt the flow of electricity.

If a fallen power line hasn't landed right in front of your car's door or on top of it, you might think you could just get out of your car as normal. However, this would be a very bad idea. If the line makes contact with your car or the ground, all the electricity it's carrying is going to be passed onto both. Touching any metallic part of the car or even the ground could result in you being electrocuted. This is why the best course of action is to remain in your car; your vehicle's rubber tires will help to keep the electricity from reaching you in the cabin, even if the downed line is touching it directly. It's like an opposite scenario to your car being struck by lightning, though remaining in the car is the best move in both cases.

According to Dietrich Easter, a Paramedic/EMS Training Officer we spoke to, the first thing you should do after getting stuck next to a downed line is to call 911. Give them your location to the best of your ability, and make sure they know there's a downed live wire nearby, so no first responders are hurt. While EMTs make their way to you, they'll make a call to the power company in charge of the downed line to request that they temporarily suspend electrical service. Until the EMTs get to you and give you the all-clear, you should stay in your car.

If you believe remaining in the car would put you in danger, such as from fumes or a fire, there is a way to exit the vehicle. However, this should only be performed as an emergency last resort — if you don't absolutely need to exit the vehicle, then remain where you are.

First, remove any loose articles of clothing or accessories. Next, carefully open a car door that's not near the downed line. Stand firmly on the edge of the door, ensuring that you do not touch the ground or the car's body. Cross your arms and jump away from the vehicle, ensuring that only your feet touch the ground. With your feet constantly in contact with one another, slowly shuffle along the ground away from the vehicle, ensuring your heels never move past your toes. If the ground is dry, you'll want to shuffle at least 40 feet away, about 3 car lengths, but if the ground is wet, you'll want to shuffle at least 60 feet away, about 5 car lengths.

It sounds complicated and dangerous because it is. It's a very hazardous maneuver that shouldn't be attempted unless it's absolutely necessary that you exit your vehicle. Again, the safest course of action is to stay in your car and wait.