In short
- Don't drive into floodwater, however shallow it looks. The Queensland Government says a car can be swept away in as little as 15 cm of water, and steering, engine and electrics can fail.[1]
- Severe storms are most common from September to March.[6] Watch Bureau of Meteorology warnings, check road closures on QLDTraffic, and if water is over the road, turn around.[4]
- In heavy rain, slow down, use low beam and leave at least 4 seconds behind the car in front.[2]
- At Rentzy, our terms don't allow driving through floodwater, and water damage from driving through water isn't capped at the excess of A$2,500 per incident: you could pay the full loss.
Why is driving into floodwater so dangerous?
"If it's flooded, forget it" is the Queensland Government's flood safety message, run by Get Ready Queensland. Its point is simple: once a car enters floodwater, the car can't protect you, whatever you drive and however experienced you are.[1]
- Traction goes first. It can take as little as 15 cm of water for a car to lose grip and be swept away.[1]
- The car stops working. Even in shallow floodwater, steering, the engine and the electrics can fail, and water pressure can stop doors and windows from opening.[1]
- Newer cars float more easily. Lighter modern materials and sound-reducing seals make cars more buoyant, and the wading depth in an owner's manual is meant for still water or slow currents, not floods.[1]
- The road may be gone. Nobody can tell what has happened to the road surface underneath, and a road or bridge that has just been flooded may be damaged or still drying out.[2]
The Queensland Government's wet-weather page says more than half of flood-related deaths come from driving through floodwater.[2] Get Ready Queensland adds that 87 per cent of the lives lost were at a creek crossing, bridge or causeway, that half of the fatal crashes happened at night on roads with little or no street lighting, and that flash flooding may arrive before any "road closed" sign does.[1]
When is storm season in Brisbane, and what is a severe storm?
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) says the warmer months, September to March, are the peak season for severe thunderstorms in Australia.[6] It classes a thunderstorm as severe when it produces, or is expected to produce, any of these:[6]
- hail 2 cm across or larger (about the size of a $2 coin)
- wind gusts of 90 km/h or more
- heavy rain that could cause flash flooding of roads or creeks
- a tornado
Warnings add "giant hail" when hailstones of 5 cm or more are expected, and "destructive wind gusts" from 125 km/h.[6] Severe storms can form quickly and be very local, so detailed warnings often come with little lead time.[7] Check before you set out, and again before you head home.
Where do I check warnings and road closures?
- Road closures: the QLDTraffic website, or 13 19 40.[4]
- Weather warnings: BoM issues Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, and the Queensland Government explains the difference between a Flood Watch and a Flood Warning and how to set up BoM warning notifications on your phone for up to 3 locations.[6][5]
- Brisbane alerts: Brisbane City Council's Brisbane Severe Weather Alert service is free. It sends alerts when BoM issues a severe weather warning for the Brisbane local government area, plus creek flood alerts at selected locations, to addresses you register; your account must be verified by email before alerts arrive.[9][8]
- Local conditions: the council's emergency dashboard shows alerts and road closures, and its Flood Awareness Map shows the flood risk for an address.[8]
If you're staying somewhere new, put that address into the alert services, and check the route you'll drive, not just your suburb. A low spot on the way can be under water when your street is dry.
How should I drive in heavy rain?
Queensland's wet-weather advice for a sudden storm, in short:[2]
- Drive slowly. The speed limit is the maximum in ideal conditions, not in a downpour.
- Don't use cruise control; it raises the chance of aquaplaning, where water lifts the tyres off the road.
- Double the gap: at least 4 seconds behind the car in front in a standard car. Count it from a power pole or road mark.
- Brake, accelerate and turn smoothly to avoid skidding.
- Use the air conditioning or demister to keep the windscreen clear, and the lane markings to hold your position.
- Don't drive on roads that are even partly covered with water, and keep away from stagnant water at the roadside.
Lights are a rule, not just advice: headlights, tail-lights and number plate lights must be on in bad weather that reduces visibility, such as heavy rain, and front or rear fog lights may only be used when weather makes it hard to see.[3] Keep to low beam.[2] More general rules are in our guide to Queensland road rules that catch visitors.
What should I do about hail?
Get Ready Queensland notes that storms can do considerable damage to vehicles through wind and large hail.[7] Brisbane City Council's advice as a storm approaches is to park your vehicle undercover or cover it with tarpaulins or blankets, away from trees, powerlines and waterways.[8]
- If a warning mentions large or giant hail for your area, move the car into a covered car park or garage before the storm arrives.
- Don't park under trees in a storm; branches fall in strong wind.
- Don't park in a low spot or near a creek overnight when heavy rain is forecast.
- If you're driving when hail starts, slow right down and stop somewhere safe and off the road if you can't see.
After a storm, walk around the car in daylight and photograph any dents or cracks before you drive on, then tell us.
What do the rental terms say about floods and storm damage?
Most rental agreements deal with water and weather directly, so read yours before storm season. At the time of writing, ours say:
- No driving through floodwater. It is on the list of things you must not do with the car, alongside beaches and off-road driving (clause 7.2).
- Water damage isn't capped. Normally your liability for damage is limited to the excess of A$2,500 per incident, but that limit doesn't apply to water damage from driving through water, or to any loss from breaking clause 7.2. You are then liable for the full loss and anything our insurer refuses or recovers from us (clause 9.3).
- Hail and storm damage during the rental is damage to the car, which you are liable for up to the excess of A$2,500 per incident (clause 9.2).
- Report it straight away. Tell us about any damage immediately (clause 9.1); failing to report an incident is another case where the excess limit doesn't apply.
- Warning lights or a breakdown after driving in heavy rain: stop and tell us, and call us before arranging any repair (clause 8).
Sources
- Get Ready Queensland (Queensland Reconstruction Authority): If it's flooded, forget it (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government (qld.gov.au): Road safety during wet weather (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government (qld.gov.au): Other common road rules (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government (qld.gov.au): Flood (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government (qld.gov.au): Flood warnings and alerts (read 23 October 2026)
- Bureau of Meteorology: Severe thunderstorms: your questions answered (read 23 October 2026)
- Get Ready Queensland (Queensland Reconstruction Authority): Storm (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane City Council: Be prepared for an emergency (read 23 October 2026)
- Brisbane City Council: Brisbane Severe Weather Alert (read 23 October 2026)
Written by the Rentzy team at Rentzy Car Rentals. Rentzy prices, fees and rules in this guide come from our published terms and update with them; rules set by others (roads, tolls, licences, transport) are from the official pages above, as read on the dates shown. Something out of date? Tell us.
