GRANVILLE COUNTY, N.C. — Chris Holloway, 19, has had better days. He plunged his car into a Granville County creek Wednesday morning during a rainstorm.

Holloway was going down a curve when he slid off the road, nearly hit a telephone pole and plunged into the water. He said he had to make split-second decisions in order to save his life.

"I was trying to get out. The car was filling up with water. I couldn't push the doors open. I tried to kick the windows out," he said.

Holloway said the car sank nose down quickly, filling up the front seat with water, so he moved to the backseat. Rescue divers were called to help, but Holloway somehow managed to get out.

"[I] jumped in the front seat, held my breath and pushed as hard as I could to get the door open. Finally, the door opered a little bit and I got into the water," he said.

Rescue diver Bo Medlin has seen people die in those type of situations.

"You couldn't see 2 inches in front of your face. It's completely blacked out," he said. "We're fortunate this time because he did make it out because a lot of times, people panic and they wind up drowning in the car.

"They're not aware of how to get out of one. Luckily, he was able to stay calm enough to think about what he had to do to get out," Medlin said.

"I was fortunate. I missed that telephone pole by about six inches," Holloway said.

If your car becomes submerged in water, chances are the pressure will prevent you from opening the doors. Experts said your best option is to break a window. If you think you might crash into a body of water, experts suggest putting down your windows immediately to create an escape route.