Don't get swept away: Floods and car insurance

July is known for being a peak summer month filled with sunny days, but this year it also turned out to be a notorious month for flash floods across the country.

• On July 3, a flash flood in Lebanon, N.H., forced evacuations and caused an estimated $6.5 million in damage, according to the Associated Press.

• On July 10 in South Pittsburg, Tenn., floodwaters from relentless rain spawned a newborn river that swept through neighborhoods, shops and City Hall, according to a Times Free Press report.The rapids, which came without warning, "hit with the force of an earthquake, tossing cars, killing wildlife and lifting sheets of asphalt the size of trucks," according to the report.

• By July 26, western North Carolina had suffered through four flash floods in the past four months, the last one being the most severe in decades, according to the Charlotte Observer.

• On July 29, in Arizona, things were no better for the 33 passengers on a tour bus outside of Flagstaff, Ariz., as flash flood waters swept the bus hundreds of yards until it flipped on its side on an embankment, according to the Associated Press. Fortunately, passengers escaped with no injuries.

Drivers are advised to avoid driving during a flood if at all possible for a very good reason: according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, nearly half of all deaths during a flood are vehicle related.

When asked for tips for driving in a flood, Carroll Lachnit, features editor for automotive research site Edmunds.com, says, "Don't do it."

Driving tips for flash floods

While the best advice is to stay off the roads, sometimes drivers get caught in an unexpected flood.

"The classic 'turn around, don't drown' statement that gets repeated during every major storm is excellent advice," says Lachnit. "Never drive through flooded areas. If it's raining heavily and you're driving in a familiar location where you know there are vulnerable areas then you need to avoid them."

Lachnit says you should never drive beneath an underpass during a heavy rainstorm because they are prone to flooding.

Another tip for driving when flooding begins is to be wary of water levels. "According to FEMA it takes only one foot of water to float almost any car," she says. "Even an SUV can be swept off a bridge (or down a road) in a foot of water. Six inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars, which means you could lose control of your car or wash out into the flood."

If you're on the road and see signs of high water or stranded vehicles, Lachnit says you should pull over or take a different route. If you see water rising above the bottom of the tires of the car in front of you, that's an indication to turn around. You can sometimes guess how deep the water is compared to the curb, but you may not know about flood damage to the road bed underneath.

If your car gets caught in a flash flood and stalls or you lose control, FEMA recommends that you get out if you can before it gets carried downstream.

If it's too late to climb out and your car is beginning to be submerged, Lachnit says it's important not to panic."Once your car is submerged you should be able to open your doors, so you're supposed to hold your breath and climb out," she says. "If you're caught in a stream of rushing water, point your feet up and downstream so you flow with the water to avoid getting hurt on rocks under the surface."

In addition to the danger of floodwaters, heavy rainstorms create major visibility problems.