One thing that I am notoriously bad about is keeping my vehicles stocked with the necessary and appropriate safety and repair materials in case of a mishap or emergency. So, in order to help you NOT be like me, it seems only fitting that I take some time to tell you about some of the items that are on my “must buy” list for stocking my vehicles.
This is going to be a series of articles, each of which will highlight a unique and tremendously useful tool or “gadget” that will improve the safety of your travels. In this first article I’m going to highlight an item that I hope you’ll never need to use, but I also hope you’ll have handy if the need ever arises – it very well could save your life.
Emergency Window Breakers
Obviously, chances are you’ll never drive your vehicle into a lake, BUT, I can’t imagine a more terrible way to go than to drown in a vehicle that turns into an underwater prison. My wife and I were just watching the news this evening and there was a story about three college age girls that drowned when they drove their vehicle into a large pond and couldn’t get out of the vehicle.
I can’t imagine the kind of grief their family and friends are feeling right now, and it could quite possibly have been avoided with one simple and indispensable tool. There are a number of different versions of this tool out there, and I haven’t tested them all to tell you which ones will be best, but there are a few that I can at least recommend you take a look at.
The issue is this, as I understand it. In an older vehicle where the windows “crank” down, if you were to drive into a lake or pond, you could simply roll the window down and swim out (as long as your seatbelt doesn’t get stuck). However, in newer vehicles which have motorized window controls, once the vehicle ends up in the lake, I don’t believe the windows would work.
Moreover, with significant outside pressure against the windows, breaking them outward by pushing or kicking at them would be difficult, if not impossible. These window punchers eliminate this issue. A simple swing of a special little “hammer” or the act of pressing a window punch tool against the window will shatter it, allowing you to escape the vehicle.
There are two different styles and a few different sizes available. One style is a 3 pound “hammer” of sorts with a hardened steel point – just swing the hammer to break the window. Another style uses a stainless steel spring loaded “punch”. Depress the unit against the window and the “punch” is released with enough force to break the window.
There are some units which are designed to be put on a keychain, although I personally would find them very cumbersome. Just too large to have hanging on a keychain. I actually think it would make more sense to have one of these mounted somewhere that would be easy access from the driver’s seat (possibly under the dash or something). This way, you don’t have anything hanging from your keychain AND, no matter who is driving the vehicle and what set of keys is being used, the window puncher would be available and accessible.
You may be able to get them somewhere else (such as an auto parts store), but I looked them up on Amazon to see reviews and the following link shows all the available units that Amazon sells, sorted by customer reviews (highest reviews first):
Other “Ultimate Safety Kit” Series Articles
If you’d like to read some of the other articles in this “Ultimate Safety Kit” series, including some articles about a few really cool gadgets that you should find pretty handy, head over to the “Ultimate Safety Kit” category at the link below:
Written by (Admin) MotorOilMan
Topics: Gadgets, Ultimate Travel Safety Kit