How does one escape from the car if it plunges into water? lets assume the driver doesn't have glass breaker. power windows don't work under water. if one tries to open the door before the car sinks, would the water pressure prevent the door from opening?

I was reading about the very same thing this evening. I was thinking that if I found myself in such a position in my own car, since I have both automatic windows and doorlocks, I might find myself in quite a pickle.

First I looked up how to get out of a submerged car and found some good info here. Then I started looking at center punches, life hammers, and so on that might be small enough to EDC so no matter who's car I was in, I'd be better equipped for such a possibility.

The ResQMe looks like a handy item with a spring loaded center punch, seatbelt cutter, and quick detach keyring.

There may be some other items out there like this, but I just started looking and don't know for sure. If anyone knows of a similar item, please post a link if possible.

I just noticed that the ReQMe and LifeHammer are listed in Doug's Earthquake Kit. Doh!

Slow Draw MacGraw strikes again. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

By the way, as soon as you get in the water you should open the door and try to get out. Don't wait for the water pressure to equalize before you get out.

If you can open the door, do so, and it's worth a try. Best to get out quick if you can. But as I understand it, the weight of water soon makes it impossible even if the car is only partially submerged. The main thing is to understand why, and to realise that the door will open again when the car has filled with enough water to reduce the pressure difference. And until then you will have the air in the car to breath. So there's no need to panic just because the door won't open. People who don't know this may think they are trapped forever, and give up.

I hope Old Bald Guy will contribute. One of the benefits of militay training is going through a crash simulator upside down in the dark. About the only danger I face is driving Pacific Coast Highway. I have my window allready opened to smell the salt air and exchange non verbal communications with mid life crisis men in red sportscars anyway. Seriously, spend some time in a swimming pool, SUPERVISED and practise swimming through a door or window size framework of PVC pipe etc. I 'rescued' one car sinking. A man was backing his boat down the ramp at Tillamook Bay first day of summer. He hit the gas and panicked. I was trying to get underway for bar patrol. I watched the boat and trailer submerge, then the airstream camper and finally the truck. It takes a LOT of Horsepower and fear to manage that. I secured my lifeboat, took off my boots and waded into the water. I opened the door and unbuckled the seat belt. The driver could have drowned us both in the classic clinging reaction. I normally would have socked him. But, I was only up to my waist and more or less dragged him to high ground. My crew asked if I wanted the silver or gold livesaving or the Coast Guard medal. I said I wanted a dry pair of bellbottoms. These sardine like fish had come to shore in a huge school. One had swum up my left leg <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> First and foremost: take a deep breath mentally and physically if this happens.

Brangdon,
There was a show on tv where the little guy from Top Gear tested to see if the best way to get out of a car was to wait for it to sink to the bottom and than have the pressure equalize. He tried it and if I remember right was unable to open the door even though the water pressure was more or less even. So, from what thye said, the best option seemed to be; get out as soon as you hit the water or break a window and get out as fast as you can.

which window can the driver break easliy if he can't open the door? is it the rear window or side window? many new cars have plastic embeded in glass for sound insulation and bullet protection.

This is a great all around tool to carry, not only in your car. I think it is more substantial than the smaller pocket/keychain rescue tools.

http://slygear.com/e_m_t_knife_smith_wesson_first_response_rescue_knife_.html

the side windows, front windows are ment to protect you from impacts. You will not be able to scatter it.

ResQMe is part of my EDC gear keychain.

"One had swum up my left leg First and foremost: take a deep breath mentally and physically if this happens.
"
Interesting way that came together! <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I didn't say it would be easy, but it does get easier as the pressure equalises.

I've now searched around a bit, and it sounds like the best approach is to open the window. All the news reports I found in which the victim survived, they got out through the window, not the door. Apparently electric window openers usually work for some minutes after the car is submerged, and submerging itself will take several minutes - at least, if the doors are shut. There seem to be cases where the door was opened, causing the car to sink quicker, and the rush of water forced the door shut again, making things worse.

It's certainly best to get out as early as you can, and doors shut, window open seems to be the best way.

Not to sound glib, am I last person on Earth who DOESN"T have power windows? This is a small part of why I hate the things.

I have an 87 chevy pickup and I have power locks and power windows. I HATE THEM! They don't work very well at all. As far as im concerned, it's just another thing to go wrong.

Plus you wouldn't have to break your window in case of the above emergency. Then again it doesn't really matter because your car is at the bottom of a lake! It could save your life though.

My local Harbor Freight has these survival knives on sale for about $8USD, Harbor Freight Survival Knife . I bought one to keep in the map pocket of my door. I can be used to cut a seatbelt and should be large enough to break the window glass in an emergency.

Here's another HF item that might fit the bill: Emergency Escape Hammer for about $6USD.

The National Park Service did quite a few experiments on this and what they found is that panic is what kills people. THey donned scuba gear and rolled a car down a boat ramp into the water. Ran it over and over. In fresh water power lights and locks still work, so do headlights, etc... once there is water against the door, say more than half, you won't be able to open it until pressure equalizes. The end result, stay calm, remove your seatbelt (often forgotten), drop the window or wait unitl the pressure equalizes, escape. Oh, remember, if you use a punch/hammer/res-q-me on the window before the pressure equalizes you are going to get a facefull of high velocity water and broken glass.

Bill

I would most likely want to get out before the car submerged as the engine would most likely go down first and possibly cause the car to settle upside down. Something as simple as a screwdriver tip whipped against a window will break glass of the side windows. I'd like to try my knife tip performed in the same manner(whipping the wrist) to see if it would work. Also, water temps have to be considered.

Most newer cars have and antishatter layer in the glass like the windshield so the glass will crack but still hold in place. You would need to brace yourself against something and push with your feet to get the glass to open enough to get out.
Somewhere in the rear of every vehicle are vents to allow air to escape when you shut the doors. This should help let water in the rear to allow it to sink level as well as drain holes in the bottom of the trunk.

Last night the discovery channel ran this one: end result was , get out of the car ASAP. Car they were using floated for two minutes. Once it was under, you COULDN'T open the doors.

They're still working on the computer simulation. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The windshield of a vehicle is made of laminated safety glass, it has a layer of plastic laminated between two layers of glass to prevent the glass from spraying all over the inside of your vehicle in the event of a colision. The side window however are made of tempered safety glass which is designed to resist impact, however if this glass is hit with a sharp point such as a life hammer or a spring loaded center punch it will shatter into a thousand small cube like pieces of glass which is not as likley to cut you when they hit you. I have broken many windows with a center punch and the point of an extrication tool, the side window is the one to go for not the windshield

newer cars starting around 2001 the side glass is the same type of safety glass as the windshield so it won't shatter anymore.