RICHMOND, Va., May 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Last year,
2,000 vehicle accidents across Virginia involved utility poles,
often due to slippery roads or other adverse weather conditions,
according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. That means that, on
average, five vehicles strike a utility pole every day. Would you
know how to react if your vehicle struck a utility pole and
electrical wires fell onto it? Dominion Virginia Power wants customers to know what to
do if faced with this dangerous situation.
"The best advice for a driver is to stay calm and stay in the
vehicle," said Rob Locke, director
of electric safety and training. "The next step is to call 911. If
downed wires are touching the car, electricity could be flowing
through them. Power lines could also be touching and energizing the
ground. You are often safest by staying put until help
arrives."
A driver is protected from the electricity flowing through the
car because the rubber tires serve as an insulator. But when
stepping out of the vehicle one foot at a time, you create a path
for the electricity to flow into the ground, causing severe and
potentially fatal injuries.
"If fire or some other situation arises and you absolutely must
get out of the car, open the door as wide as you can, and jump out
of the vehicle without touching any part of it, making sure you
land with your feet together," Locke said. "The ground near the
vehicle is also likely to be energized. The farther apart your feet
are from each other, the more likely it is that electricity will
try to travel from one foot to the other. Shuffle or hop with feet
together until you are about at least 30 feet away from the
vehicle, even if it takes longer."
Click here to watch a video on how to safely exit a vehicle that
is energized by power lines:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2huZlHQ15PE
Locke reminded drivers to warn others in the area who might
attempt to help. "Don't forget that anyone who may try to come to
your aid while you are in the vehicle is also at risk," he said.
"Warn them to stay at least 30 feet back. You may also be tempted
to try to help someone in a vehicle, but it could be fatal—just
call 911."
Dominion conducts year-round training for local emergency
responders about how to respond in this type of an emergency. For
more information on the demonstration, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xoyb9M5-EA. Homeowners,
contractors, parents, teachers, first responders and customers are
encouraged to visit our electrical safety resources page:
https://www.dom.com/corporate/our-commitments/safety/electric-safety.
Note: In recognition of National Electric Safety Month,
Dominion will host a media event on May
26 to demonstrate the proper way to stay safe after a
vehicle accident with the potential of an electrical
hazard.
About Dominion
Dominion Virginia Power is a subsidiary of Dominion
(NYSE: D), one of the nation's largest producers and transporters
of energy. Dominion provides energy or products and services to
more than five million customers in 14 states. It has a portfolio
of approximately 25,700 megawatts of generation and 6,500 miles of
electric transmission lines. Dominion also operates one of the
nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 933 billion cubic
feet of storage capacity. For more information about Dominion,
visit the company's website at www.dom.com.
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SOURCE Dominion Virginia Power