Here's advice on what to do if your vehicle comes in contact with downed power lines during a storm or collision.
by Staff
July 25, 2016
Photo: N.J.com
2 min to read
A 26-year-old woman from New Jersey was electrocuted July 18 when she tried to exit her car after power lines fell on it during a storm. The headline provided a melancholy reminder of just how dangerous downed power lines are.
According to a report from N.J.com, Susan C. Potok of Plainfield, N.J., had pulled her car over to the side of the road during a summer storm and turned on the hazard lights. But those safety measures weren’t enough when power lines fell down on her car and she tried to leave the vehicle.
Ad Loading...
Pacific Gas & Electric offers the following tips to help motorists stay safe when a fallen power line comes in contact with a vehicle:
Stay inside your vehicle. The ground around your vehicle may be energized.
Sound the horn, roll down your window, and call for help.
Warn others to stay away. Anyone who touches the equipment or ground around your vehicle can be injured.
Use your mobile phone to call 911.
Wait until the fire department, police, or utility workers tell you it’s safe before exiting the vehicle.
If your vehicle is in contact with a fallen power line and a fire starts, follow these guidelines when exiting your vehicle:
Remove loose items of clothing.
Keep your hands at your sides and jump clear of the vehicle, so you’re not touching the vehicle when your feet hit the ground.
Keep both feet close together and shuffle away from the vehicle without picking up your feet.
To view a video about the subject, click on the photo or link below the headline.
Fleet drivers face constant visual, cognitive, and environmental interruptions the moment they hit the road. From roadside chaos to mental fatigue and digital overload, today’s biggest driving risks often come from outside the vehicle itself.
FLASH Weather AI has launched a first-of-its-kind hail prediction model capable of forecasting hail size and arrival time at 1-kilometer resolution up to 55 minutes ahead, giving fleets and insurers critical time to prepare for severe storms.
As litigation risk rises, vehicles are increasingly targeted. This Coca-Cola bottler shares how it’s reducing exposure through driver training, technology, and a proactive risk management approach.
From identity management to third-party certifications, the right technology partner should make security easier to manage. Here are the three building blocks that fleet managers need to stay in control as connected systems scale.
Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.
As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.
Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.
