Smith County pregnant woman rescued after car is swept away by water

SMITH COUNTY – A pregnant woman’s car was swept away by rising water in Smith County on Thursday, and she had to be rescued. According to our news partner KETK, the situation happened near County Road 113 and County Road 119 in the Roddy Branch area near Mud Creek. Authorities said the woman got out of the vehicle safely. The arctic blast created a significant amount of rain and ice accumulation. Experts said it only takes two feet of moving water to lift a car.

AAA Texas said people should avoid driving in bad weather. They shared the following tips so people can travel safely if they must drive in icy weather.

• Make sure your headlights are on. In fact, it is a good idea to turn on your headlights any time you drive, because you will increase your visibility in any condition.
• Reduce your speed and leave plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• Brake gently to avoid skidding.
• Do not use cruise control on any wet, snow-covered or icy roads.
• Be aware of possible icy roads. Be especially careful on bridges and overpasses, which freeze sooner than roads. And even at temperatures above freezing, if conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
• Be careful on infrequently traveled roads, which may not be cleared as often as other roads.