"I vacillate between a Spyderco Rescue (fully serrated) and a pair of crash shears."

(TR thinkin' out loud)

Normally I would prefer the portability of a folding knife over shears. That said, if I had a hand injury and had to extricate myself one-handed, I think the shears would be much safer.

I try to picture how I would use the knife one-handed, using force to cut the belt. I can see the blade flinging around too much. I'd hate to gash my thigh or the arm of the person next to me as the belt lets go, or gets to the end of the blade without cutting (all this being done in a pressure situation with injuries). It just seems to me that I would have better control with a pair of shears.

I recall a discussion on a knife forum where some rescue personnel prefer the shears for the significantly improved control of shears over a blade (they also have to cut away clothing at times). You don't want to add injuries to a crash victim.

Maybe the solution is to pack a Spyderco rescue knife in your pants and keep some rescue shears in a holster securely attached near your driver's seat.

TR