Fears Facebook and Instagram fuelling deadly act during heavy rain
Just weeks have passed since Lismore and other parts of northern NSW were decimated by once-in-a-lifetime flooding.
But there will be little respite for thousands of residents whose homes were destroyed as a result of the torrential conditions, as another deluge is set to batter the region from Monday.
The catastrophic flood event led to 22 deaths, with several of those victims found inside submerged vehicles.
A raft of dangerous acts of driving through floodwaters emerged and quickly spread on social media earlier this month as millions across the state watched on in horror.
Motorists have repeatedly been warned not to risk their lives by driving on flooded roads, with the SES's information officer Scott McLennan reiterating that vital message on Monday.
He suggested social media sites such as Facebook had almost glorified the dangerous act.
"Do not, and I cannot stress this enough, please do not drive through floodwaters," he told ABC News Mornings.
"It looks great on social media but it is unsafe not just for you but for those around you."
Mr McLennan said the mass destruction and loss of life for the region was still "raw and traumatising" for residents heading into another significant event.
"If you’ve been impacted before you probably will be impacted again," he said.
Driving through floodwaters can have major financial impact
Authorities fear drivers are unnecessarily risking their lives to avoid longer journeys – but there could also be a financial implication as well.
Finder insurance expert James Martin said insurers could refuse claims for flooding and storm damage if people drove through flooded areas because it may be seen as a “reckless act”.
How these claims are handled boils down to the insurer’s unique classifications for flooding and storm damage, Martin explains, which are detailed in an insurer’s policy documents.
Driving through floodwaters is alarmingly commonplace in Australia.
According to Dr Mel Taylor, an honorary associate professor at Macquarie University, in a 2019 survey, 55 per cent of respondents admitted to driving through floodwaters at least once in the past five years.
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