How to React if a Power Line Falls on Your Car

Acting After the Line Falls

Stay inside the car if possible. Unless your car is on fire, it’s very important to stay inside your car once a power line falls. When a power line falls on your car, it often charges the metal parts of the car with electrical current, meaning that if you attempt to exit as you normally do, you will be electrocuted. After the line falls, look around the inside of your car and out the windows. If you don’t see flames or smoke, you aren’t in any immediate danger. The safest thing you can do is to stay inside. If you see flames and smoke, refer to Method 2 for instructions on safely evacuating the car. If there are other passengers in the car, communicate with them that the safest thing to do is to stay inside the car. Even one person exiting the car incorrectly could put you all in danger of electrocution.

Don’t touch the inside of the car. Sit still in your car with your hands in your lap. Take extra care not to touch the frame of your car, which is very possibly charged with electrical current. As long as you stay still and don’t touch the frame of your car, you are safe inside your car.

Call 911. Use your cell phone to call 911. Give them your address, and tell that that a power line fell on your car. They will likely give you some advice such as staying inside the car, but if they give you specific pieces of advice make sure to follow them.

Warn people not to touch the car or power line. If you notice cars coming behind you or approaching the power line from the opposite lane, honk your horn to signal to them that they should not get near the line. If anyone gets out of their car to investigate or try to help you, shout over to them that they should not touch your car or get anywhere near the fallen power line. If you don’t have your cell phone on you and weren’t able to dial 911, ask anyone who approaches if they will call 911 for you. Do not have them hand you the phone; instead, tell them to call 911, explain the situation, and provide the address of the downed line.

Follow the police’s directions. Once the dispatchers arrive to the scene, they will approach the car and possibly ask questions or give you instructions. Follow whatever advice they give you, as they will be able to assess your individual situation. Only exit the car after they tell you that the power to the line is out and grounded, and it is safe to get out of your vehicle.

Safely Evacuating a Flaming Car

Make absolutely sure the car is on fire. Evacuating your car is risky, so you want to be 100% sure that your car is on fire before exiting. If you see smoke but no flames, watch the smoke to make sure that it isn’t exhaust coming from your car. Smoke is thick and won’t dissipate quickly, whereas exhaust will fade into the air. If you see flames, your car is definitely on fire and you should evacuate as quickly and carefully as you can.

Open the door. Once you see that your car is on fire, it’s important to exit as quickly as you can. Open the latch of the door and push it open, being careful to only touch the plastic latch and not the frame of the door or car. The metal frame of the car is likely charged with electricity by the power line, so it’s important to have as little contact with your car as possible in order to avoid getting electrocuted.

Bring your legs together and cross your arms. After you open the door to the car, don’t step out as you normally would. Instead, hold your legs together and bring them slightly inward towards your body. Rotate your body, making sure to not let your feet or any other part of your body touch the frame of the car, so that you are angled to jump out of the car. Cross your arms over your body to make yourself as small and compact as possible.

Jump out of the car. Still keeping your legs together, jump carefully out of the car and land on both of your feet at the same time. Keeping your legs together so that your feet touch the ground at the same time greatly reduces your chances of getting shocked. Jump, don’t slide, out of the car. Your body should be in the air, not sitting in the car, when your feet touch the ground.

Shuffle or hop away from your car. After you jump out of your car, get away from the flaming car as fast as you can. Instead of walking and lifting up one foot at a time, shuffle from the car, keeping both your feet on the ground at all times about 6 inches (15 cm) apart. Alternatively, you could also hop away from your car. You may feel silly, but shuffling or hopping may save you from getting shocked. If you choose to hop from the car, make sure that both of your feet hit the ground at the same time.

Call 911 when you are 50 feet (15.2 m) away. Keep shuffling or hopping until you are at least 50 feet (15.2 m) from your car. Then take out your phone and call 911. Tell them your exact location, and let them know that a power line has fallen onto your car and that your car has caught fire. When the dispatchers arrive, tell them what is going on and follow their safety advice. Warn other approaching cars what has happened, and tell them not to approach or touch the car or the power line. Shout over to them if they are within 50 feet (15.2 m) of the power line or car.

Taking Action as a Bystander

Do not approach the power line or car. If you are a bystander to a power line falling on someone else's car, or come back to see that a power line has fallen on your car, do not approach within 50 feet (15.2) of the power line. Getting close to the scene is extremely dangerous, and there are ways that you can help without getting hurt.

Yell over to the person in the vehicle. If you witness a power line fall on someone else's car, instead of approaching the vehicle, yell to the person in the car. Ask them if they are okay, and tell them to avoid touching the frame or interior of the car. Say something like, "Hello, are you okay?" When they respond, and if their car isn't on fire, yell over, "I know what to do in this situation. Stay in your car and try not to touch the frame of the car or any metal parts of your car, since they can be charged with electricity. I'm calling 911 right now, so help will be here soon. As long as you stay in your car, you'll be fine!" If their car is on fire, say, "Your car is on fire, so you need to get out quickly and carefully! Turn slowly toward the door of your car without touching the frame of the car. Open the door handle without touching any other part of the door. Swing it open, then jump out so that you land on both feet. Shuffle away from the car, and keep both feet on the ground at all times. I'm calling 911 right now, so just focus on getting out of the car carefully!" Be reassuring and let them know that you know what to do. Let them know that as long as they follow your instructions, they will be safe and unhurt. Also let any approaching cars or pedestrians know what has happened and warn them not to get within 50 feet of the line.

Call 911. If you haven't already, yell over to the person in the car that you are calling 911. If they want you to call for them or are unresponsive, dial 911 and tell the respondents the situation and location. If you come back to your car to see that a power line has fallen on it, call 911 so that they can deactivate the line and make your car safe to drive again.

Stay until the dispatchers arrive. Stay at the scene until the dispatchers arrive. If you have just witnessed a power line fall on someone's car, it will make the occupant of the car feel better to know that they have someone outside who is handling the situation. Once the dispatchers arrive, explain the situation to them again. If the power line fell on your car, follow their instructions until the car is safe to approach again. If the power line fell on your car, you will likely will have to call a towing company or mechanic to get your car taken away and fixed unless it is only superficially damaged.