Vehicle Safety

Safety Tips

Utility Poles

• STAY IN THE VEHICLE if your vehicle hits a utility pole or snags a power line. Do not open the doors or step outside. If you have a cell phone, call 911 or yell for others to get you help, but tell them not to approach you or the vehicle. Wait for emergency and utility crews to arrive on the scene.
• Only in rare cases, like fire or if you see or smell gas, should you try to get out. Look for a safe place and leap clear from the vehicle - never touching the ground and the car at the same time. Then, hop with feet together away from the pole and downed lines to safety. Hop at least 50 feet away, and further if the ground is damp or wet.
• If you come across a vehicle that has hit a utility pole, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE to approach the scene. Power lines could be down. You could walk into an energized path. If you have a cell phone, call 911 for assistance.