Car accident with power pole

If your vehicle or equipment contacts a power line, stay put. call SaskPower at 310-2220 or call 911 if it’s an emergency. Stay put until help arrives.

If your vehicle is on fire and you must exit:

  • Make sure no wires are in your way.
  • Stand in doorway, cross arms, put feet together.
  • Jump as far as possible, land with feet together.
  • Do not touch the vehicle.
  • Keep arms crossed, feet together, and HOP at least 10 metres to safety.

Fallen Poles or Lines

If you see an accident involving a power pole, fallen line or transformer:

  • Park at least 10 metres away from any fallen power lines
  • Assess the situation before getting out of your vehicle
  • Don’t touch the vehicle, power pole, fallen line or transformer as they may be energized
  • Call 911 and provide a description of the scene to the operator. Detail the electrical hazard as best as you can.
  • Stay back at least 10 metres
  • Wait for emergency personnel to arrive

  1. Park at least 10 metres away from any fallen power lines;
  2. Assess the situation before getting out of your vehicle;
  3. Don’t touch the vehicle, power pole, fallen line or transformer as they may be energized;
  4. Call 911 and provide a description of the scene to the operator. Detail the electrical hazard as best as you can.
  5. Stay back at least 10 metres; and
  6. Wait for emergency personnel to arrive.

Vehicle Accidents

Take these steps if you're in an accident involving a power pole, fallen line or transformer:

  • Stay inside your vehicle and call 911 (electricity can travel through the ground to you).
  • Wait inside the vehicle until emergency personnel advise you that it’s safe to get out (fallen lines may still be energized even if they don’t appear to be live).
    • Wait inside the vehicle until emergency personnel advise you that it's safe to get out (fallen lines may still be energized even if they don't appear to be live. You are generally safe from the electrical hazard as long as you stay in the vehicle.

Take these steps if you must exit the car (only as a last resort):

  1. Open the vehicle door all the way while seated. Look up and around to ensure you can exit the car without contacting the fallen line;
  2. Stand on the frame of the vehicle with your arms close to your body or crossed over your chest. Slide your feet together;
  3. Jump out of the vehicle with your feet together and your arms touching your body. Never make contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time;
  4. Hop away quickly while keeping your feet together;
  5. Move at least 10 metres away from the scene. Slowly slide your feet apart. If you feel tingling, put your feet back together and hop farther away until you no longer feel the tingling sensation; and
  6. Once you are a safe distance away, call 911.

Watch How it's Done

Check out this video to see how to exit your car safely.

Watch video  

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