Tornado Safety GuideWhat to do during a Tornado

Tornado Guide: What to Do During a Tornado
The sky has turned a dark shade of grey, casting an unusual hue over what was once a sunny day. From the heavy clouds above, sizable chunks of icy hail fall to the ground. Soon, the wind picks up, emitting a whistling sound that echoes through the air. These winds begin to carry dust, water and debris, forming a dangerous tornado. These windstorms can cause significant damage, often appearing suddenly without much warning, leaving little time for people to seek safety. So, what steps should you take if you encounter a tornado?What to do during a tornado depends on where you are when either a tornado warning or the tornado itself hits.outside-tornado-gettyimages-88576195-170667aGETTY IMAGES

Facing a tornado at home: Take shelter in your pre-determined safe location. This room should be the lowest interior room that is far away from windows or doors. Suggested rooms include basements, storm cellars, bathrooms or laundry rooms, the latter of which are great options because the pipes running through the walls reinforce the structure. Once in your safe location, get low, and protect your head and neck with your hands.

Facing a tornado in school or another public building: Refer to the building’s emergency placards to locate the pre-determined safe zone, get low, and use your hands to shield your head and neck.

Facing a tornado in a vehicle: Do not attempt to outdrive a tornado. Their paths are erratic, and they move fast. Instead, evacuate the vehicle and run to the safety of a nearby building. Then, follow any available instructions within the building or find the lowest interior room that you can access. If there are no buildings nearby, see below.

Facing a tornado outside with no shelter in sight: If you find yourself out in the open when one of these terrifying furies of winds appears, find a ditch, culvert or something similar. Lie down as flat as possible. Guard your head and neck with your hands.

Facing a tornado in a mobile home, trailer or recreational vehicle: Evacuate immediately. Mobile homes, trailers and recreational vehicles are not built to stand up against the powerful winds of a tornado. Staying could result in death for you and your loved ones. If you find yourself in one of these structures and are near an urban area, seek shelter in a sturdy building and protect your head and neck. If your mobile home, trailer or RV is not located in an urban area, follow the instructions for “facing a tornado outside with no shelter in sight” noted above.

Facing a tornado under overpasses and bridges: Overpasses and bridges should never be considered adequate tornado shelters for multiple reasons.

Wind speeds increase under bridges: The narrow passage under these structures often funnels winds through at higher speeds. These winds can blow a person out from under the bridge and into the tornado itself.

Debris: With wind comes debris. Positioning yourself under one of these structures could leave you vulnerable to dangerous projectiles thrown by the twister.

Collapse: A strong tornado can destroy these structures. They could collapse from the sheer force of winds or from debris striking a structural weak point. Either way, you do not want to find yourself buried in rubble.

flash-tornado-strong-logo-shelter-twitterWhen a tornado warning comes, you have only minutes to make decisions regarding your safety. By knowing what to look for, where to go, where not to go and how to effectively protect yourself during these raging winds, your odds of making it through the storm increase. These powerful windstorms are beyond our control; the best thing you can do is prepare.This information is being provided for general informational purposes only. The Auto Club Group does not assume any liability in connection with providing this information.TornadoesUser-guideWhat is a Tornado Watch vs. Warning?Home InsuranceHow to Prepare for a TornadoWhat to do during a TornadoMembership-Weather AlertsWhat to do After a TornadoHome Insurance CoverageD&R Ready AmericaHow to File an Insurance Claim