Do not panic and act quickly to save yourself if your vehicle plunges into water or the sea, said Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM) director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.

He said the first thing to do was to unfasten the seat belt to allow smooth movement in the limited space and take a deep breath to get oxygen supply before getting out of the car immediately.

"If the vehicle starts to sink, do not try to open the driver's door because the extreme water pressure will make it difficult to push open the door. This will be a waste of time and it will be more difficult to escape," he said when contacted by Bernama in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He said the victim must wind down the window next to the driver’s seat and then get out through the window if the passenger seat window could be wound down.