It’s a common assumption that the safest place to be in a Tornado is either under a highway overpass — or to get out of your vehicle and lower yourself into the nearest ditch or depression in the ground. However, you should avoid doing both of these, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirms.
What to do. If a tornado is within your range of vision while driving, the best thing to do is immediately change course and head toward a sturdy shelter. If you’re far from home or a friend’s house, look for a restaurant, truck stop or convenience store nearby.
Overpasses won’t provide the same level of protection as an actual tornado shelter. In fact, the wind will be stronger in these openings, which in turn, increases the risk of flying debris. And lying in a ditch will expose you to the elements, as well as to flying debris.
According to the National Weather Service, if a tornado develops while you’re driving:
Before leaving on any road trip, check the weather forecast. If threatening weather is forecast in your driving path, postpone your trip or take an alternate route.
A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. A watch typically covers a large area of several counties or states.
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Flying debris is one of the greatest risks when a tornado hits. "Debris from a tornado can turn into missiles that can reach speeds greater than 300 mph in the strongest tornadoes.
Forward velocities can range as high as 60 or 70 mph, albeit these speeds are rare. Tornadoes more commonly move at speeds ranging between 20 and 40 mph, " Rossio said.
Once a tornado starts to form, it can touch down in seconds. If you're driving and you see a tornado, here's what you should and shouldn't do. Seeking shelter from a tornado under an overpass might sound like a good idea and it's an idea often captured in films, but meteorologists say that is one of the worst things you could do.
Stay in your car, secured into your seat belt, and put your head down below the window, covering it with your hands or a blanket if you have one. Or, if you can safely get lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car and lie in that area, using a protective covering like a blanket or tarp if you have one with you," Hayes said.
A tornado-producing thunderstorm with an ominous and rapidly rotating wall cloud threatens Cactus, Texas, on March 22, 2019. Tornado sirens blare as cars drive past. (AccuWeather/Reed Timmer) The best driving decision you can make is to stay off the road until the weather clears, Chris Hayes, second vice president of transportation risk control ...
It is human instinct to run away from danger, and since cars reach speeds that exceed the speed of a tornado’s path, some people try to outrun tornadoes. This is not a good idea for many reasons. Tornado winds can blow large objects, including cars, hundreds of feet away.
This can be achieved if the tornado is visible at a far distance and there is light traffic, by driving at right angles to the perceived path of the tornado and seeking shelter in a sturdy building off the roadway," Clark said. A tornado-producing thunderstorm with an ominous and rapidly rotating wall cloud threatens Cactus, Texas, on March 22, ...
All choices are correct (Avoid head-on collisions, hit something soft instead of hard, or something still instead of moving to minimize an impending crash.) To avoid single vehicle crashes, use your brake systems and steering. True: Using your brake systems and steering can help you avoid single vehicle crashes.
False: If you are in a collision that damages any property, you must find out who the owner is and give them your information. You can never be held liable for trying to help someone.