How to get out of your car in an emergency!!!

[Orchidflower]

When a few years ago the bridge near Minneapolis broke and people ended up in the river drowning, I wondered how I'd get out of my car if, say, the bridges I use daily that go across the Mississippi River collapsed. I guess this is the answer below.
This was demonstrated on the tv show, The Doctors, today (9/21/09) and their demonstration proved it to be a handy item to have if you ever got caught with a seat belt that wouldn't open and/or needed to smash your window open to escape your car. After finding it on Amazon.com, I read the reviews and ordered two in yellow for $21 and some cents.
You can also get a much larger version--which probably is alot better but has to be mounted on your dash somewhere--but the keyring style you can either carry with you or hang with a zip tie off your turn signal. Anyway, I felt it was of value and some here might be interested:


Amazon.com: ResQMe, The Keychain Version of the Original LifeHammer (Royal Blue): Automotive


Lord only knows I hope I never have to really use it, but if I'm ever in a bad auto accident where the seatbelt won't open or if my car catches fire and I get stuck in the car or if I do drop off the side of a bridge and am underwater, this little puppy should be mighty helpful I would think. For $9.95 or so for each plus shipping, I'll take the risk on this item myself. (If only poor Mary Jo Kopechne had one of these with her when she was with Teddy...)

Here's a piece on how to survive if your car goes underwater from The Today show. Pretty interesting with some great ideas:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/18424824#28519240

 

[nphx]

$4.99 from my favorite toy store:

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[Orchidflower]

OK, where were you when I was looking for something like this?
The big advantage of having this hang on your keychain is if you are in someone else's car then you would have something with you that should get you out. Regardless, I think it's a great idea to have something that works myself (on ounce of prevention as the saying goes). I'm no wimp, but having lived in Houston with all the flooding there and hearing so many stories about people drowning in their cars had me thinking about this for years, frankly. Glad to know there are things out there.
I hear you can also use a tool to break ice to break an auto glass fast. Don't know anyone who has ever done it, tho.

 

[KB]

I bought 3 of the ones like Harbor Freight sells. One for each kid and one in my car. I've had it so long I almost forgot I had one...thanks for the reminder.

 

[simple girl]

This is a great stocking stuffer idea. Thanks!

 

[segfault]

I have one in my glovebox. That said, if your car falls from a significant height into water, it's like hitting concrete.

 

[BigBob]

My only question about this is, will it be confiscated when it is on your key ring going thru the airport(much like my pocket knife that I carry with me at all times, would)?

 

[Orchidflower]

Good question. Wonder if there are any airline personnel on this board that would know

 

[RunningBum]

If it's got the seatbelt cutter, I have to believe it would. Once you snap off part of the plastic it's no different from a box cutter.