Underpasses, for example, should be approached with caution, because even if the water doesn't appear to be that high, they can quickly fill up and become a trap, say the car safety inspection agency Dekra.
If the water goes up half the height of your rims, the engine can suck it up, damaging it. So if you are in a situation where you can't estimate how deep the water is, it's better to look for a detour.
For the reasons listed above, it's not a good idea to keep driving on flooded roads. You could also quickly lose your bearings and end up in a ditch, or the entire vehicle could be swept away if the water rises sharply, warns Dekra.
Anytime there's mud and debris across the road, the surface is so slippery that even a slight current is enough to wash away a car, warns the ADAC, Europe's biggest driving club.
Dekra advises not putting yourself in such a situation in the first place: If there's a severe weather warning, avoid driving and wait for the situation to improve. If you're caught in a storm without warning, then try to find a place to shelter, preferably higher up.
In the event of a storm, you also want to avoid a spot in the direct vicinity of trees or houses, from which things can fall on your, or a sloping street, as there is a danger that a torrent could form.
Dekra says it's important to keep an eye on the surroundings in a storm.
And by no means should you go into a basement parking lot: As Dekra points out, they can become a "death trap" during heavy rain, as masses of water come not only from above, but also from the sewers below, and they can sometimes fill up within minutes.
Retrieving your car from the garage could turn into a life-or-death situation: It's better to flee on foot.
Anyone still in the car should get out as quickly as possible, because when the water rises above the door sills, it's increasingly difficult to open the doors.
