In light of several flooded roads reported in Marengo County Monday, it’s always important to remember how dangerous flooded roads can be.

The EMA and National Weather Service both caution against driving across flooded portions of roadway because just 1 foot of water is powerful enough to sweep a vehicle off the road. Thankfully, road closure hasn’t been necessary here but that doesn’t mean things won’t soon change.

The NWS motto “Turn Around — Don’t Drown” may sound like a broken record, but that’s because too many people have become statistics from taking a chance with a flooded road.

It’s better to err on the side of safety than to risk the loss of life and property.

You may say, “That could never happen to me,” but you could not be more wrong. It’s always foolish to underestimate the powers of nature.

With local rivers at or near flood stage, it’s especially important to navigate our roadways carefully.