Escaping from a submerged car

The bridge collapse thread mentioned a tool that could be used to cut a seatbelt and break glass. Others chimed in to say that such tools are ineffective, citing the recent incident where a woman accidentally backed her car into a pond, called 911 and others for help yet could not be rescued (article here). Comments in the bridge thread mentioned tempered glass as the reason why the windows in her car could not be broken, including by the firefighters standing on the roof of the car hitting the windows with sledgehammers evidently.

My question is - are there tools that should be carried in a car to aid in egress if one ended up submerging (or being submerged) in a car? What other steps could be taken to prepare?

This is the tool that I've always seen recommended. Does it not actually work?

Those are a joke.

I'd probably carry a claw hammer if you want to break windows.

From what I know (and woody and other emergency personnel will chime in i'm sure) it's less about impact and more about point of contact. If you press that point in the right area (usually towards the edge of the glass) the glass pops. if you swing with all your might, berkeley all happens. One of the most popular techniques i've seen lately is sticking a crowbar in the window frame at the bottom and prying at the edge of the glass itself. I also know that the thieves in California are using point impregnated gloves, and those hammers and pressing in the corners of the windows to pop them quickly and effectively. 

Was going to look into the same issue. I wasn't even aware that ordinary cars had been switching to laminated windows in the last few years, when I heard of this laminated glass in the submerged Tesla incident I thought it was some gee-whiz novelty material Tesla was using because Elon.

Edit: I'm also curious as to why this change was made. Was tempered glass causing a problem? It seems like a regulatory oversight to let all the world's car manufacturers switch to a glass that rescuers can't break through.

Just a correction- the problem isn't with tempered glass, but rather laminated glass.

I think the problem is with newer cars having safety glass on side windows.  Cracking the glass does no good because the plastic lamination in the middle keeps it together.

EDIT - got beat

In reply to dyintorace :

Won't help on a car with all laminated windows, but for the rest of us with tempered windows, Resqme is my go-to to keep in each car and/or on each key chain.

The one you posted makes for a great gift so the person feels they got you something useful,  but that's  about it. From what I've seen EMTs use (or used to use) a spring loaded punch. 
 

Like this.

The tool I keep on my keychain is the older version of the one in the video above:

https://www.amazon.com/RESQME-Original-Emergency-Keychain-Seatbelt/dp/B06Y1W4WSG/

It won't do any good if your car has all laminated glass though.

GameboyRMH said:

Edit: I'm also curious as to why this change was made. Was tempered glass causing a problem? It seems like a regulatory oversight to let all the world's car manufacturers switch to a glass that rescuers can't break through.

Noise reduction?

Steve_Jones said:

The one you posted makes for a great gift so the person feels they got you something useful,  but that's  about it. From what I've seen EMTs use (or used to use) a spring loaded punch. 
 

Like this.

Yup.  Came here to say this.

Slippery said:

GameboyRMH said:

Edit: I'm also curious as to why this change was made. Was tempered glass causing a problem? It seems like a regulatory oversight to let all the world's car manufacturers switch to a glass that rescuers can't break through.

Noise reduction?

Same reason as the windshield.... so you don't get lacerated by flying glass.

As a side note, I'm pretty sure no back windows are laminated yet. Windshields have been for decades, some sides for a few years, but no backs yet. 

Sorry for confusing laminated and tempered! Re the recent Tesla drowning, hitting laminated glass with a sledgehammer at full force won't break it? That is mind-boggling. 

In reply to dyintorace :

If she drowned, the water pretty much had to be at or above the top of the car. At that point, I'd think the water is taking a significant amount of energy out of the impact.

I've never understood how someone is supposed to find their little pointy headed hammer in less than 15 seconds in pitch darkness in a submerged car after it has tumbled off a bridge or embankment while they are gasping for their last few breaths.

I've been trapped under water. There's no way I'm thinking about a novelty hammer. 

I worry that so many cars have electric  door locks and electric windows , so you cannot open the door or roll down the windows if the battery goes dead , 

I guess I do not know if the battery works when you are underwater ?

I think Mythbusters did a program on this.

My experience with buying a few wrecked cars makes the Tesla story confusing. The windows break with impact, they just have a gooey plastic that holds the two layers together.

They came apart after breaking if you pushed the gummy middle layer far enough.

Windshields have been laminated for many years. Side windows vary. ( My 1960 El Camino has laminated side windows, my 2004 MINI Cooper has tempered side windows).

Laminated glass is the stuff that cracks in every direction but still hangs together like a big piece of Saran Wrap. Tempered glass shatters into millions of tiny pieces that are mostly too small to cause harm. 
 

We often smash commercial tempered glass windows during demolition. Gotta be careful when you throw a sledge hammer at a tempered window because the hammer may bounce back at you. 

I've seen it suggested that if you find yourself in a submerged car, get into the back if possible.  Front of most cars is heavier than the rear & submerging front down may leave a pocket of air near the roof in the rear of the car.

In reply to dyintorace :

It may or may not break it, but the laminate will hold it together in the frame, which is in fact its job.

When you hit the water, open the door or roll the window down.

Car sinks faster but at least you can get out.

If it sinks with everything closed, good luck opening or breaking anything. The water pressure will make that very difficult. 

This was told to me by a bush pilot who was taught how to get out of aircraft in the event they went for a swim.

As a kid growing up in Florida, they had "How to Get Out of a Car" PSAs mixed in with the cartoons on Saturday morning.  They said exactly what ShawnG said but added to turn your lights on, makes it easier to find the car later.  Once the water gets up to the windows, pressure is equal and the door will open as normal.  

Completely news to me that any cars had laminated side glass. That changes everything.

We actually talk about that from time to time as a family crossing big bridges. I carry one of the pointy hammer things in both cars, and always assumed and told my kids that breaking the side windows was the best bet. Breaking through a laminated glass would be a real chore. Perhaps the best bet as Dad would be to carry a prybar somewhere. At least I can make a hole for everyone to swim through, even if I am still stuck inside.

Looks like the Pacifica side windows are all laminated:

https://www.aaa.com/AAA/common/AAR/files/Laminated-Glass-Vehicle-List.pdf

The Bolt is tempered still.

I guess we're going out the hatch. Getting everyone over the rear seats in an emergency is tough to imagine.