Here’s how to stay safe if a power line falls on your car during Arizona’s monsoon season

TEMPE — While it’s rare for a power line to fall on a car, it can be deadly if you don’t know what to do.

That’s why utility experts are sharing a “shocking” way for drivers to stay safe if they get trapped by a fallen electrical line during Arizona’s upcoming monsoon season, which officially starts June 15.

Monsoon season is just around the corner, and SRP showed me just what you should do if a power pole ever falls on your car. Video and full story coming soon.@SRPconnect @KTAR923 @AZMorningNews pic.twitter.com/XTtFPGg8G6

— Colton Krolak (@ColtonKrolak) June 5, 2025

Maximus Sego, a health and safety specialist with Salt River Project, said the best way to avoid danger in that situation is to stay put.

“If your vehicle’s not on fire or there’s not a life-threatening situation, stay in your vehicle. Call 911 — don’t assume someone else is — and if you see people rushing up to the vehicle, keep them back at least 100 feet away,” Sego said during a demonstration Wednesday at SRP’s Tempe Service Center.

What to do if you get out of car trapped under power line

Sego said that if you absolutely have to get out of your car, open the door and then, without touching any part of the vehicle, jump as far as you can — landing with your feet close together.

“From there, you’re going to do what’s known as the heel-and-toe shuffle,” he said.

Shuffling helps prevent your body from becoming a pathway for electricity to travel between your feet. Sego recommends continuing the shuffle for at least 30 feet before trying to lengthen your stride.

“Basically, you’re going to be dragging your feet across the pavement,” he said.

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