Surviving inside a car during a tornado

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — If you are in your car when a dangerous storm is approaching, you have to make fast and swift decisions to keep safe. And when that dangerous storm has a tornado embedded inside it, people think they can outrun the storm to seek shelter. The real reality is that your car could be picked up like a toy.

When seconds count, preparation is key. In a vehicle, we stress the importance of quickly getting to a sturdy structure. “Your car is surrounded by windows…so any debris that is being lofted by the tornado could come into your car easily and you could be injured easily by the glass in the vehicle,” explained Alyssa Clements, NWS Nashville Meteorologist.

Modern weather radar technology has saved lives in Tennessee

Tornado fatalities from being in a vehicle are not very common. The exception is in 2011 when 33 people died in a vehicle during a tornado, with 15 of those deaths in the Joplin, Missouri tornado in May 2011. In the last four years, there has been at least one vehicle death from a tornado in the United States. Since 2010, Tennessee has had four people die in a vehicle during a tornado.

Despite more precise tracking technology available to Meteorologists to determine the storm’s path, what if you are nowhere close to a building, and the tornado is barreling toward you? How do you protect yourself?

Storm Shelters: A place to stay safe in your home

First, avoid being inside the car. But you may say, “You want me to get out of my car during a tornado?” Yes, but there are places to not go when you exit your vehicle. One spot most people commonly go to is a bridge or overpass. This is dangerous, because it creates a wind tunnel effect, causing the wind to be faster. Also, stopping here with other vehicles can cause a delay for first responders.

The best spot to be is right here in a ditch that curves down, and cover your head.

“The idea is that if the tornado passes over you, being as low as you can get offers you at least a little bit of protection from the debris. Is it ideal, no, it is not. But you do not want to be in your vehicle,” said Clements.

If you are unable to get to a ditch in a fast enough time, DO NOT OUTRUN THE TORNADO! You would have to shelter in your car, by getting as low as possible with your seatbelt on. Keep a helmet in your vehicle, put it on, and cover yourself with as much cushion between you and the outside air to protect from debris and glass hitting you.

Hendersonville YMCA rebuilding after EF-2 tornado

Your safety is the highest priority. And when severe weather is threatening Middle Tennessee & Southern Kentucky, stay alert to the weather & conditions so that you can avoid driving when the worse weather occurs.

Don’t forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.

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