Driving Safely During a Tornado

Photo Credit: erh.noaa.gov

Driving during a tornado warning is an extremely dangerous situation, so make sure you are prepared if you find yourself driving when a tornado strikes. While the best advice is to avoid driving at all during a tornado and remain somewhere low and fortified, you may unfortunately find yourself on the open road in a match of wits with a fierce, churning funnel of wind.  Listed below are some good things to know in case a tornado appears nearby while you are driving.

How Do I Evade the Storm?

The first things to recognize when caught in your car during a tornado are that you can’t outrun a tornado and that the wind surrounding a tornado is just as dangerous as the funnel itself.  Tornados can move anywhere between 100 and 300 miles per hour.  Tornados can also move in any direction depending on the origins of the parent storm cell, contrary to popular myths.  So depending on your location during the ensuing storm, you may or may not be in imminent danger while driving.  The further away you are, the more likely you are to get to a safe building or shelter in time.

With this in mind, your first priority should be to drive to shelter and get inside. However, the tornado may be too intense for you to safely reach shelter in time.  At this point you will have to survive in your vehicle.  This should only be undertaken when no other viable option is available.

Surviving Storm Damage in Your Car

If you are cornered in a storm on the road and cannot reasonably seek safety anywhere but your car, there are a few things to keep in mind to increase your odds of making it out unscathed.  

• Pull over and park.  Finding a good, safe place to park your car should be obvious.  Parking as low as possible is ideal, such as in a ditch or under an overpass.
• Set the emergency brake, keep your seat belt fastened, and tuck your head down below the windows.  If you have something to cover your head, use it.

If you notice a safe place outside and it seems reasonably secure to exit the vehicle, this can be a good way to avoid the storm damage and the hazards of remaining in your car.  Getting behind a sturdy structure or underneath something stable can often be more effective than riding out the storm inside your car since the windows can shatter and the car could be easily overturned by a tornado.  Finding the best location to ride out a tornado depends on the variables of the storm and your location, so assess whether it makes more sense to remain in your car or seek shelter elsewhere.

During a tornado warning, you’ll always be better getting off the roads and into a secure building as quickly as possible, but this may not be realistic so keep these tips in mind the next time you’re on the road during tornado season.