Most of us never think about what happens if we get trapped in a vehicle that’s on fire or sinking in water, but knowing the type of window glass and having the right tool on hand may be key to survival.
Those are the highlights of new research released on Tuesday by the AAA, an automotive group, that provides drivers and passengers with information if they are forced to quickly exit through a side window in an emergency.
The report, “Vehicle Escape Tool Evaluation,” found that vehicle escape tools can be effective in breaking tempered side windows, but are useless on laminated ones.
“To improve safety, more vehicles are being equipped with laminated side windows – but a majority also have at least one window made of tempered glass,” John Nielsen, managing director of automotive engineering and repair for AAA, said in a statement. “Our research found that generally vehicle escape tools can be effective in an emergency, but only if drivers know what type of side windows they have, otherwise they could waste precious seconds trying to break glass that will not shatter.”
Laminated glass is typically used for windshields, as it is designed to not shatter, even when cracked, according to the report, which noted that the increased use of the “nearly unbreakable glass” is in response to federal safety standards aimed at lessening the chance of occupant ejections during high speed collisions.
In 2017, for example, there were an estimated 21,400 people who were partially or fully ejected during a crash, resulting in 11,200 injuries and 5,053 deaths.
There has been a 67 % increase in the use of laminated glass in the last 10 years in new cars; 1 in 3 2018 vehicle models are equipped with it on side windows, the AAA said.
While these types of crashes are more common, vehicles sometimes do catch fire or become partially or fully submerged in water. (AAA researchers worked with experts to recreate an actual water escape from a submerged vehicle during evaluations for the report.)
During multiple tests, researchers examined three spring-loaded and three hammer style vehicle escape tools available to consumers to determine their effectiveness in breaking tempered and laminated vehicle side windows. Only four were found capable of shattering the tempered glass; none were able to break the laminated glass, which stayed intact even after being cracked.
Spring-loaded tools were found to be more effective in breaking tempered windows than the hammer-style, which are ineffective underwater.
Click here for how to determine the type of side window glass in your vehicle, identify what type of escape tools work best, and prepare for and handle an evacuation in an emergency. ( The information includes a list of models with laminated glass.)
Click here for the full report.
