Man Dies When Car Is Submerged in Port of Los Angeles

The driver of a silver sedan died on Saturday when his vehicle accidentally drove off the edge of the road and into the Port of Los Angeles.

English: View of Port of Los Angeles and Long ...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to witnesses, the car landed upside down in about 10 feet of water and began to sink quickly.

The accident occurred at about 2:55 p.m. on the southbound lanes of Navy Way near north side pier 300.

Emergency crews responded to the frantic calls and arrived on the scene shortly. They sent divers into the murky waters to retrieve the man. They cut him from his seat to free him and transported him to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

“We have witnesses who saw the driver on the wrong side of the roadway,” LAPD Sgt. Jerome Calhoun said at the scene. “All of a sudden, he veered to his right — he switched back over to the right side of traffic — which caused him to run off the road here.”

The water was extremely murky and difficult to see through, so divers had to use flashlights to find the driver.

The crash is still under investigation and the police are unsure if alcohol or drugs were involved in the accident.

All car accidents are frightening, but being stuck in a sinking vehicle is absolutely terrifying. According to a study, about 10 percent of all car accidents involve a submerged or partially submerged vehicle.

However, the majority of the fatalities or injuries from these accidents occur because the occupants of the vehicle are panicked and ill-prepared to escape from the vehicle, so here are some tips to escape from a sinking car.

The first thing to do is to brace for impact. As soon as you see the car heading towards the water, brace yourself for the crash and remain calm.

Next, undo your seatbelt. Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht says that the mantra he uses is: seatbelt, children, window, out (S-C-W-O).

Then, open your window as soon as you hit the water. Most vehicles are equipped with an electrical system that will work for up to three minutes after being submerged, so you should be able to roll your window down electrically.

If you can’t open the window, then break it. Carry a small hammer or some sort of tool to smash the window open, just in case of emergencies.

Then, escape through the broken window. Take a deep breath and swim out of the car as quickly as possible. Studies show that it is much better to swim out as soon as possible even though the water will be rushing in, rather than waiting.

If you can’t escape after you’ve broken the window, wait until the critical moment when the car has equalized. It usually takes 1 to 2 minutes for the car to fill up with water. While there is still air left, take a deep breath and open your door. Use the force of your body to swim against the torrent and escape.

Then, push yourself away from the car and towards the surface. If you are disoriented, look towards where there is light and swim towards that.

Finally, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

If you need a Los Angeles car accident lawyer, please call AA-Accident Attorneys. We can evaluate your case and help you cope with the difficulties that you face following your accident. Our car accident lawyer has more than 20 years’ experience fighting with insurance companies and the negligent parties responsible for your accident. They will make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve. We have many locations throughout California including offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield, Fresno, Sacramento, San Jose, San Francisco and Sacramento.