Emergency car glass breaker

[Brian Deakin]

Emergency glass breaker


In the last 2 months 6 people in the Uk have sadly lost their lives by drowning in cars which have submerged water


Can anyone please advise on what would be the best tool to break the glass in a car in these circumstances


My first thought was an automatic spring loaded centre punch

[Mel Fulks]

I’ve seen an add for those things, but it was years ago . I’m betting you can still buy them. I think it was just a small hammer in a
cloth bag .

[Doug Garson]

Search Amazon for emergency glass breaker, several options including some spring loaded ones you described, some also incorporate a seat belt cutter.

[Edward Weber]

We keep one in the car at all times. With so much being electric, you almost have to.

[Mel Fulks]

They can also be used for playing a Xylophone

[Bill Howatt]

We keep one in the car at all times. With so much being electric, you almost have to.

Electric has nothing to do with it. The water pressure jams the submerged window tight to the frame and it cannot be cranked or otherwise moved.

[Earl McLain]

The "Res-Q-Me" tool from Task Force Tips in Valparaiso, IN is my choice. This tool is tough and will perform, and made in USA by a company that does a lot of NFPA rated equipment. I keep their Rescue Wrench in my car and always carried one in my bunker coat when firefighting. Amazon sells a 3-pack of the Res-Q-Me for about $22 (USD). When still active in fire, i helped a few rural VFDs write grants to distribute to their residents--drainage ditches are all over the place, and deeper than they look from the road!!
earl

[Warren Lake]

does anyone have a club, one of those steering wheel lock things.

You are americans dont yuall carry guns?

Seems like tons of yutes in Canada do, only no permits. Pretty sad where things have gone since us elders were kids.

[Jim Koepke]

The "Res-Q-Me" tool from Task Force Tips in Valparaiso, IN is my choice.

A woman at work had one of these. When someone asked to see it, she opened her trunk and took it out of her toolbox.

jtk

[Jason Roehl]

Just a couple side notes about exiting a submerged vehicle. If you have a tool in your car, by all means use it. Just remember that you’ll want to figure out a secure location for it so that it doesn’t fly out of reach should the entry into the water be somewhat violent. If you do use some sort of glass break tool, make sure to apply it to a lower corner of the window, where the window is stiffest, not the center nor the top corners where the glass can flex, making the tool less effective.

The second has been shown to be possible but would be a last resort. Many people drown because they exhaust themselves trying to open the door as the vehicle is sinking, but still full of air. Vehicle doors can be opened relatively easily once the interior is also full of water, so remaining calm, and preparing for when the air is gone is key to being able to get the door open and swim to the surface. But you don’t want to do things that increase your breathing and heart rate prior to taking the last possible breath from the remaining air in the vehicle.

[Earl McLain]

A woman at work had one of these. When someone asked to see it, she opened her trunk and took it out of her toolbox.

jtk

Kind of missed the point on that!! It's amazing how easily a side window will shatter with a spring punch but not so easy with a fist. Worth a trip to a salvage yard to "experiment" on one (with the yard's permission, of course!!). Jason Roehl's comments are spot-on as well. Folks don't realize how much pressure water exerts on a vehicle door, near impossible to open even if partially submerged.

[roger wiegand]

Not driving into flood waters would be my preferred course of action. It's astonishing how many people will (apparently) say, "well it's only a couple feet deep, and the long way around will take an extra 10 minutes". When I lived in Missouri it seems we lost several people every spring who drove around the "road closed" barriers to cross a flooded stream. I'm not sure a window breaking device is the right answer to this.

[George Yetka]

We have the small orange hammer looking ones. but I bet an auto center punch would work great. Its important to hit it at a corner. The glass is weakest there

[George Yetka]

Also as your going in drop the window. you will have a bit of time before power dies

[Terry Wawro]

Most of the one's I've seen also have a built in razor to slice through your seat belt if needed. I think the real trick is (1) remembering you have it and (2) having it within reach if you are sideways or upside down.

[Doug Garson]

A woman at work had one of these. When someone asked to see it, she opened her trunk and took it out of her toolbox.

jtk

I wonder, was it "the sharpest tool in the box"? Obviously she wasn't. :cool:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

We have a spring-loaded one in the console of both of our SUVs.

[Patty Hann]

A woman at work had one of these. When someone asked to see it, she opened her trunk and took it out of her toolbox.

jtk

Sad....very sad. :(

[Alan Rutherford]

Also as your going in drop the window. you will have a bit of time before power dies

Now that just makes way too much sense!

[Bill Howatt]

Now that just makes way too much sense!
Very sensible in theory, in practice, maybe not. Your car has just likely been in some event that has caused it to go off the road, you are busy trying to correct it's direction of motion, your wife and kids are yelling and now the car is in the water and you are wondering what the heck just happened. Right-side up? Maybe not. In darkness, likely, and your wife is still yelling.
I'll say it again, crank windows are no advantage once the water level is high enough to jam them tight to the frame.

[David Dockstader]

Cannot be sure for the UK, but here in the US those adjustable head rests for the driver and passenger (at a minimum) have hard posts that are supposed to be used as glass breakers in the event of submersion. Apparently the car manufacturers aren't anxious to advertise that their cars don't float well, so I seldom see this information published. My old '66 VW Bug would have to be blown out of the water as a navigation hazard if you drove into the drink. Such tight construction is no longer available.

[Bill Howatt]

I remember back in the 60s when the VW bugs were very popular it wasn't unusual to see some news item about one floating here or there.
While it may work, if you can get it free, the head rest being deliberately designed as a glass breaker is a myth. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/car-headrests-emergency-escape/

[Brian Deakin]

I live in the Uk

Dave a huge thank you for this tip I will share it with friends and family

regards Brian

[Michael Drew]

Emergency glass breaker


In the last 2 months 6 people in the Uk have sadly lost their lives by drowning in cars which have submerged water


Can anyone please advise on what would be the best tool to break the glass in a car in these circumstances


My first thought was an automatic spring loaded centre punch

I've had one of these on my key chain for many, many years. They work great, and can also be used to cut seat belts. I live remote, and we get a lot of snow and ice on the roads in winter. I carry an emergency bag in my truck as well, to aid folks that might find themselves stuck in a ditch, waiting for help. I have also responded to roll-overs and other vehicle accidents.

These tools also make for great party tricks. Hand one to a drunk buddy, ask them to "push the button" with their thumb over the plunger. It's completely harmless, but will scare the hell out of them!

They make great stocking stuffers too....

https://resqme.com/multi-color-3-packs/