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Rain-day anyone? How ‘hidden bonnet gap’ reveals EXACTLY how much rain your car can drive through safely
As little as an egg cupful of water is enough to destroy a car engine
A MOTORS expert has revealed exactly how much rain your car can drive through safely.
Many drivers think jumping in their car is a safe bet during severe weather when in fact a third of all flood-related deaths are in vehicles.
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While some areas turned into rivers overnight last year, many drivers often face lightly flooded roads.
But driving through floodwater can also do irreparable damage to your motor.
And that's why experts from Derby-based Eden Tyres & Servicing have shared a hack that will keep you safe on the roads.
The team at explained how the gap between the tyre on the road and the air intake in the bonnet shows how much water your car can drive through.
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In a TikTok video, they said: "Have you ever wondered why some vehicles might be more capable of making it through flooded road than others?
"It's all to do with wading depth or even known as fording depth.
"Wading depth is the amount of water a car can go through without taking any water on board and it's measured by where the tyres hit the floor all the way to the air intake."
You can find the wading depth in your handbook, on the manufacturers website or even in your driver's car door.
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Working outside in cold, snow or icy weather? Your employment rights explained
Here we explain what you need to know for working in cold, snow or icy weather.
Unfortunately, there's no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures – but employers still have a duty of care to safeguard their employees, especially if working in snow and ice.
According to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, employers have to:
- Ensure any protective equipment is effective and up to date
- Supply the equipment for free and keep it properly maintained
- Provide mobile facilities for employees to warm up
- Encourage the consumption of hot food and drinks such as soup or hot chocolate
- Educate workers about the early symptoms of cold stress
- Incorporate more frequent rest breaks in the working day
- Limit exposure by introducing systems such as flexible working patterns or job rotation
- Delay work until a warmer time of the year if it compromises safety
The Approved Code of Practice suggests a minimum temperature of 16C for workplaces, or 13C if your work involves considerable physical activity.
The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers recommends above 13C for factories, 18C for hospitals and 20C for offices.
These temperatures are not legal requirements, but the employer has a duty to determine what is reasonably comfortable in the circumstances.
While there is no specific law when it comes to temperature, employers still need to abide by health and safety laws.
This includes:
- keeping the temperature at a comfortable level
- providing clean and fresh air
If you are unsure use 10cm as a rule of thumb.
"That's because driving in anything over this can be very dangerous and very costly if anything happens to your car," Eden added.
The AA rescues almost 10,000 cars a year that have driven through or were stuck in floodwater with an estimated insurance bill of £34million.
Water can destroy engines, with as little as an egg cupful enough to wipe it out for good.
And while door seals are tested to withstand a deluge, getting water in through the underneath can wreck electrics and even cause airbags to go off suddenly at a later date.
Heavy rain wreaked havoc at the end of last year as drivers were forced to abandon their cars after becoming submerged under floodwater.
Emergency services, including paramedics and crew from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, were called out to Buttsbury Wash to help a woman trapped in the flood.
Her car had been driven into the three-foot deep water, and a team helped her out of the life-threatening situation with an inflatable rescue dingy.
Vehicles were also left partially submerged as rainwater poured down in South London.
Meanwhile two grandparents were tragically killed after getting trapped underwater while driving in heavy rain in Liverpool.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
It comes after another team of motors experts recommended a 60p kitchen essential as a great tool for preventing your windows from misting up.
In addition, millions of Brits could have a worrying safety fault with their car so get yours checked now.
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