Road flooded? Do not drive through it.

• Position: Car Care

Floods can happen anywhere. Even places you would not expect can become flooded if conditions are right. In recent months, Texas particularly has been hard-hit with major flooding in Dallas and Houston. West Virginia also has seen some terrible flooding. Whether it is heavy rain or the aftermath of a hurricane, no matter what city you live in, the effects of a flood can be damaging.

While flooding is dangerous in any location, it can be especially deadly when it occurs on roadways. Drivers often underestimate the depth of the water and how little it takes to sweep away a vehicle completely (even a large truck).

Here are five reasons from Blitzify--a mobile application that connects customers and automotive service providers--why you should not drive through flooded roads:

* Floodwaters from a swollen river can have a very powerful current and wash away entire swaths of road. This damage can be hidden from view under just a few inches of water and mean the difference between making it to the other side and being stuck in fast-moving floodwaters with a car that will not work. What is more, it could mean your life as the soft ground under the water could cause your car to begin sinking.

* It does not take much for your tires to lose traction. Tires are designed to maintain traction only on rain-covered roadways. As little as an inch can cause them to lose traction completely. That means your tires could begin to spin and that there is next to nothing keeping your car from being swept away--and, while cars are very heavy, many can begin to float in one foot of water.

* It does not take much to damage your car. Even if the water is less than one foot deep, the potential for significant damage to your car still exists. On most passenger cars, six inches of water is enough to threaten your car's exhaust system and air...