Overview

• ADAC tests at a Bundeswehr facility found a Citroën ë-C4 submerged in roughly three minutes and a Seat Exeo in about four, underscoring narrow escape windows.
• Motorists should open the nearest side window immediately upon water entry, unbuckle using a cutter if necessary, and exit without delay.
• If side windows fail, occupants must strike a corner of the glass with a rescue hammer or another pointed object to break through.
• Double-glazed or laminated side windows marked “XI” may force an exit via the simpler rear windshield since doors and windshields stay sealed under pressure.
• Drivers are urged to review their vehicle’s rescue card or window markings, keep a hammer and seatbelt cutter within reach, and rehearse the rapid underwater escape sequence.