Quick Summary:
- Leave the car for a sturdy building, avoid overpasses and bridges.
- If no shelter exists, lie flat in a low ditch, cover head.
- Do not stop under trees, power lines, signs, or motorway gantries.
- Photograph damage, note time and location, keep weather alerts screenshots.
A tornado warning in Florida means rotation has been spotted or indicated by radar, and you should act immediately. If you are driving a car hire vehicle, your priority is personal safety first, then protecting the vehicle only when it does not increase risk. Tornadoes can form quickly from severe thunderstorms, especially in squall lines, outer bands of tropical systems, and fast moving supercells. High winds, flying debris, and hail are the main hazards for drivers.
This guide gives you a simple decision tree for what to do, where to shelter, where not to stop, and what evidence to gather if hail or debris damages your car hire vehicle.
Decision tree: what to do when a tornado warning appears
Step 1: Are you in immediate danger right now? If you can see a funnel, swirling debris at ground level, or the sky looks unusually dark with intense rain or hail, treat it as immediate danger. Also assume danger if you receive an emergency alert and traffic ahead is stopping suddenly.
If yes, do not try to “outrun” the storm in a car. Tornado paths are unpredictable, and wind driven debris can shatter windows instantly. Move to Step 2.
If no, but a warning is active in your area, reduce speed, increase following distance, and start looking for proper shelter options along your route. Avoid committing to exposed causeways and long bridges if you can exit safely. Move to Step 3.
Step 2: Should you leave the vehicle?
Leave the vehicle if you can reach a sturdy building in under two minutes without crossing dangerous traffic. The best shelter is a substantial enclosed structure with interior rooms. Examples include large supermarkets, shopping centres, hotels, hospitals, and well built office buildings. Once inside, go to a small interior room or corridor on the lowest floor, away from windows and glass doors.
Stay in the vehicle only if there is no safe building nearby and leaving the vehicle exposes you to debris. Even then, staying in a car is a last resort, because vehicles can be lifted or rolled.
If you have time and can do it safely, pull off the road completely, turn on hazard lights, and keep your seat belt on while you assess the nearest shelter. Do not stop in live lanes or on narrow shoulders.
Step 3: Where should you shelter, in order of best to worst?
Best option: sturdy building, interior, lowest floor. If you are near an airport, resort corridor, or large retail area, these buildings are often your quickest safe choice. If your trip involves collection points such as car hire in Orlando (MCO) or car hire at Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL), the terminals and adjacent parking structures are typically more protective than open lots, but still move away from glass walls and skylights as quickly as possible.
Next best: fully enclosed parking garage, low level, away from openings. A concrete multi storey car park can reduce debris exposure. Park on a low level, away from ramps and outer edges, then move to a stairwell or interior area. Do not remain next to the vehicle if windows and openings face the wind.
Last resort: low lying ground outdoors. If no building exists and you cannot drive to one without entering the storm, get out of the vehicle and move to a low ditch or depression, ideally below roadway level and away from water flow. Lie flat, cover your head and neck with your arms, and keep your body as low as possible. This is dangerous, but it can be safer than staying in a vehicle that may roll.
Where not to stop, even if it looks convenient
During a tornado warning, some places look like shelter but can be among the worst options. Avoid these stopping spots when you are in a car hire vehicle:
Overpasses and bridges. These are not safe shelters. Wind can accelerate through the structure, and debris can funnel underneath. Stopping there can also block others and create secondary collisions.
Under trees or next to wooded edges. Falling branches, uprooted trees, and airborne timber are common causes of injury and vehicle damage. A tree is not a shield from debris.
Near power lines, utility poles, or substations. Downed lines can energise puddles and wet ground, and poles can snap and fall across vehicles.
Beside large signs, billboards, scaffolding, and motorway gantries. These can collapse in high winds, and their fixings become high speed projectiles.
In open car parks or on top decks. Exposure is high. If you must use a parking structure, go low and move inward.
Flood prone dips. Florida downpours can turn ditches into fast flowing channels. If you must use low ground, choose a shallow depression that is not actively filling, and stay alert to rising water.
Driving choices: keep moving or pull over?
If conditions are stable and the warning is nearby rather than on top of you, it can be safer to keep moving towards a known sturdy shelter rather than stopping in an exposed place. The key is to decide early.
Keep driving if visibility is acceptable, traffic is flowing, and you have a clear route to a substantial building within a few minutes. Use navigation to identify large stores, hotels, or civic buildings. Stay off high speed routes if debris is already present.
Pull over and shelter if rain and hail reduce visibility, debris is crossing the road, or you cannot confirm a safe shelter ahead. Hydroplaning risk rises rapidly on Florida roads, especially with standing water.
If you are travelling with family or a larger group, a vehicle choice such as minivan hire in Orlando (MCO) can help with comfort and luggage, but it does not change tornado safety priorities. In a warning, occupants should still seek a sturdy building first.
If hail or debris damages your car hire vehicle: what to collect
Once you are safe and the danger has passed, document damage promptly. In Florida storms, hail impacts and wind driven debris can cause dents, cracked glass, torn trim, and underbody scrapes from unseen objects.
1) Photograph everything before moving the car, if safe. Take wide shots showing the whole vehicle from all sides, then close ups of dents, cracked windscreen, side windows, lights, and wheel damage. Include the roof and bonnet, as hail damage is often most visible there.
2) Capture location and time evidence. Screenshot weather alerts on your phone, including the tornado warning time window. Note the nearest cross streets, mile marker, or a recognisable landmark. If you can, take a photo that includes a street sign to anchor the location.
3) Record the circumstances. Write a short note: where you were driving, where you stopped, what hit the vehicle (hail, branch, sign panel), and whether the vehicle was moving or parked. Keep it factual.
4) Photograph the surrounding scene. Debris on the ground, hail accumulation, damaged signage, fallen branches, and other vehicles with similar damage can help show the cause.
5) Keep receipts and logs. If you needed a tow, temporary lodging, or emergency supplies, keep itemised receipts. If you move to a safer area before reporting, record the time you left and arrived.
6) Avoid risky repairs. Do not tape over broken glass in a way that blocks visibility, and do not drive if the windscreen is compromised or lights are out. If the car is unsafe to operate, treat it like any breakdown and arrange assistance through the provider instructions in your rental documents.
After the warning: checking the vehicle before you continue
Only return to the road when local alerts indicate the immediate threat has passed and conditions allow. Before driving your car hire vehicle again, do a quick safety check.
Windows and windscreen: Look for cracks that could spread. A small chip can become a full crack when the body flexes.
Tyres and wheels: Check for sidewall cuts from debris, and confirm the tyre is not losing pressure.
Lights: Ensure headlights and indicators work. Storm debris can shatter lenses.
Wipers and visibility: Replace wiper function mentally, if rubber is torn, visibility will be compromised in the next downpour.
Underbody: If you drove over debris, listen for scraping or fluid leaks. If you see a leak, stop and seek help.
If your trip includes city driving after the storm, allow extra time. Intersections may have power outages and blocked lanes. If you are operating around Miami Beach areas, including options like budget car hire in Miami Beach (MBC), be alert for flooding on low streets and sand or debris washed onto the roadway.
Practical preparation before you set off in Florida
Even if the sky is clear when you collect your car hire vehicle, Florida weather can change quickly. A few habits make warnings easier to handle.
Enable emergency alerts. Ensure Wireless Emergency Alerts are on, and keep your phone charged. Consider a car charger as essential.
Know your sturdy shelter options. On longer drives, note large buildings at intervals. If you are starting in South Florida via national car hire in Florida (MIA), familiarise yourself with nearby hotels or retail centres near your first routes.
Keep essentials reachable. Shoes, a light jacket, and any needed medicines should not be buried under luggage. If you must leave the vehicle quickly, you may not have time to dig through bags.
Keep fuel above a quarter tank. Detours and congestion are common after severe weather, and some stations may be closed temporarily.
Do not rely on roadside shelter. Many rest areas and petrol stations have large glass fronts and can be crowded. They are better than open ground, but still move to interior rooms and away from windows.
FAQ
Is it safer to stay in my hire car during a tornado warning? Usually no. A car is vulnerable to being pushed, rolled, or struck by debris. If a sturdy building is close, leave the vehicle and shelter inside, in an interior room on the lowest floor.
Should I shelter under a motorway overpass if I cannot find a building? No. Overpasses can amplify wind and concentrate debris, and stopping there increases crash risk for other drivers. If no building exists, choose low ground away from flooding and lie flat, covering your head.
What if hail starts while I am driving the car hire vehicle? Slow down, increase following distance, and seek covered shelter like a garage or sturdy building. Avoid stopping under trees or signs. Once safe, photograph hail size, vehicle dents, and any cracked glass.
What evidence should I keep if debris damages the vehicle? Take time stamped photos of damage and the surroundings, screenshot weather alerts, note the exact location, and keep receipts for any recovery costs. Do not drive an unsafe vehicle.
Can I continue my trip immediately after the warning expires? Only if roads are clear and the vehicle is safe. Watch for downed lines, standing water, and non working traffic lights. If visibility is reduced or damage affects safety, stop and arrange assistance.
