Your car goes into a pond after a crash. For roughly how long will it float on the surface before it sinks?
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A.
About 5 minutes or more
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B.
About 10 to 20 seconds
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C.
About 30 to 60 seconds Correct
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D.
About 2 minutes
The answer is "About 30 to 60 seconds"
The manual gives you a 30 to 60 second window on the surface, which is why the instruction is to get out of the vehicle before calling 911. Choice D is the tempting number because "2 minutes" is a rule of thumb that circulates in online survival advice, but it is not the figure the Florida manual sets.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. About 5 minutes or more
The manual gives you a 30 to 60 second window, far less time than five minutes. This answer anchors on movie scenes where a sinking car lingers on the surface long enough for a leisurely escape.
B. About 10 to 20 seconds
The manual sets the window at 30 to 60 seconds, not 10 to 20 seconds. This answer shrinks the float window to match the panic reflex that a car sinks almost the moment it hits the water.
D. About 2 minutes
The Florida manual sets the window at about 30 to 60 seconds, not two minutes. This answer carries over the two-minute figure that circulates in general online survival advice rather than the Florida manual's number.
This question tests your knowledge of Emergencies in Florida. Source: Florida Driver Manual, "Handling Emergencies: Submerged Vehicle," p.80..
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