First thing you should do is stay in your car. Warn any people to stay away from your vehicle and ask them to call 911 and the electric utility company. If no one is around, try honking your horn and rolling down your window to yell for help. Remain in your vehicle until rescue workers arrive. Staying inside your car is safe because the rubber tires help electricity from not going to the ground.
In the event that you absolutely have to leave your vehicle because of fire or some other danger, avoid stepping out of the car. If you make contact with the car and the ground at the same time, you will get shocked. Instead of stepping right out of your car, jump away from your car so you do not make contact with your vehicle and the ground all at once. Make sure your feet are together when you land. Shuffle away without lifting your feet from the ground.
Avoid trying to help someone else from your car while standing on the surrounding ground. Doing so will make you a path for electricity and you risk being seriously injured or killed.
Be aware that once you jump away from your car, you might not be all clear of danger. Electricity may spread throughout the ground in a circle from a downed power line. As you move away from the point of contact, the voltage drops. If one part of your body touches a low voltage area and another part makes contact with a high voltage area, you automatically become a conductor for electricity. This is why it is extremely important that you shuffle away from the line, keeping your feet together and not lifting your feet off the ground.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join the conversation by using #MCAA.
