Vehicle Safety Tip – Be Able to Escape
Yesterday after my email, I received another great tip from a reader. If you use the suction cup attachment for a portable GPS system in your car, make sure you wipe off the mark it leaves on the window. Leaving the smudge lets people know you have a GPS system and could interest them enough to break in.
Today’s story also is related to vehicle safety. You may have been following the story of the three college girls who went missing while on a stargazing expedition in North Dakota.
They were discovered yesterday in ten feet of water hidden by tall grass at the bottom of a pond. Authorities say they probably drove straight into the pond because they were unfamiliar with the area and couldn’t see in the dark.
When I think about 10 feet of water, it doesn’t seem like much. But when a car is submerged the whole situation changes. It is important that you know exactly what to do should this ever happen. There is no room for error.
The moment you enter the water your mind is racing and you panic as you reach for the seat belt. The car will begin to sink and tilt vertically because of the weight of the engine. Water will begin to rush in. The most important thing to do is NOT follow the bubbles. Air is escaping through the trunk because the car is sinking head first and will likely turn upside down.
1. Immediately open a window if you can. If you cannot get a window down, because anything could happen, you should have an Emergency Hammer in your car. This tool has 2 very sharp hammers that will break a window or windshield instantly. It is important to keep this tool in a very accessible place.
2. After the window is opened or broken, unbuckle your seat belt. If you do this before opening a window, you will likely be swept to the back of the vehicle with the current of the water. If the seat belt is jammed, you can also use the Emergency Hammer to cut it.
3. Prepare any passengers as the vehicle is sinking. Get out and swim to the surface. The longer you stay in the submerged vehicle, the lower your chances for survival.
Remember to break a window first! Create an escape path immediately. If you don’t, you will have to wait until the car is almost fully submerged and pressure has equaled out. Then try lowering the window, breaking it with your seat belt or brace yourself for kicking it out.
With the Emergency Hammer, you have a glass breakage hammer and a seat belt cutter all in one.
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