About 2 years ago I happened upon an accident. The woman lost control of her car and it rolled down an embankment. She wasn't hurt other than bumps and scrapes but she couldn't find her purse. When the wrecker moved her car , there it was ,under the car. That made me think about mine and everything I keep in mine that could save my life , provided I could get my hands on it. From then on when I buckle my seat belt, I run the seat belt through the strap of my purse so that it will always be within reach. Things can get thrown around pretty good in a roll over. I also attatched a lanyard to my emergency tool (for breaking windows and cutting the seatbelt off) and attatched it to the bottom part of my seat belt so it will always be within reach should I need it.

I really like the idea of the emergency tool. How long a lanyard do you have on it? I have the S&W one which is kind of heavy and I don't want it whipping around in a crash.

The lanyard on mine is just about a foot long. and I keep it kinda wedged between the seat and the console. If I need to use it to break the window then I can just cut the lanyard. At least I will be able to find it. And since I keep a medical card on my purse any EMT can have their hands on it quicker, avoiding any allergic reactions due to the wrong meds..

EMTs dont go thru purses to look for allergies... Unless it happens that I hand in your purse to the LEO and he is kind enough to let me know what he found in your walet. If you are allergic to something that can kill you medic alert tags (braclets and neckless) are the way to go. Rule of trauma scene is somethng we call 'golden hour" you need to be under hot lights and cold steel from time I receive the call under an hour.

Great idea on keeping your tools on the leash. But in case of rollover leashed tool is something that would bang you on the head over and over again. How about using retention straps made out of velcro?

I keep a medic alert tag on my purse, very visible, so no one would have to actually go through my purse. I also have a medic alert necklace. Nothing I have a lanyard on can reach my head so I doubt that it would hit me in the head. I've thought about velcro and that might be something i'll change to in the future.

Hmm, I never thought about that, my bob is under the seat, time to make a hook to hold it to the seat frame. The rest of my gear is strapped down pretty good under the back seat and I just moved my cell phone charger to inside the center console recently so its not laying on the dash or in a cup holder or something.

Angel, I wouldn't do that. Why? (because I don't carry a purse <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />) Because if you get a accident the purse-strap
can wrap itself around or get in the way of the release-button of the seat-belt, preventing you from opening your
seatbelt and escaping in a emergency.
(a woman died that way once. She drove into the water and couldn't get her seatbelt undone,
because the purse was blocking the release button. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> )

If it fit's, I would put the purse into the glove box.

Just my 2 cents

As long as I can get to my purse, I dont have to worry about the seat belt. I carry a knife that my uncle made me that looks similar to a deer slayer. That seat belt will come off one way or another. You are right though, most women probably don't carry the same things in their purses that I do. MIne is more like a survival bag. I can't reach my glove box if I'm belted in so that wouldn't help. Always open for suggestions though.

although you might found your knife easily in a normal situation, in a emergency your knife will usually be harder to find.

I would rather have a lifehamer or other seatbelt cutting and window smashing device mounted nearby. Roof, dash board, side of you seats, etc. They are readily accesible and they are always there. (unless you would takle them off...) Ofcorse you have to practise grabbing the thing.

If I may ask: What survival item's are in your purse? <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

It varies depending on where I'm going but the things that are always in it are:
2 knives ( my larger knife and a small pocket knife)
cell phone
phone numbers ( small laminated card)
roll of quarters
about $50.00 In small bills and stashed in different places
ID
credit card and check book
small first aid kit
compact with mirror and magnifying glass
film canister with 3 fish hooks , 3 sinkers, about 20' of 8# spiderwire.
a small sewing kit
energy bar
small bottle of water
small pill box with tylonol and asprin
small spool of artificial sinue
whistle
2 bic lighters and 1 box of matches
small leatherman tool
a bandana
a gallon sized baggie
a couple of paper clips and rubber bands
tube of super glue
because make- up is heat sensitive , I dont carry it in my purse so that leaves lots of room for other things and it's not as heavy as you would think, or maybe I'm just used to it.

I keep my EDC bag strapped into the passenger seat so if I have the fortune to be able to get myself out of my car in an accident, I'll at least know where my gear is. Although I don't have a good alternative if someone is riding with me...

One thing we need to remember is, "can I access my emergency escape tools if I'm upside down with gravity working against me?" An accident would be disorienting to say the least, so it also has to be easy enough to use and find when you're not at 100% mental sharpness.

And practicing acessing these things is very important. In an accident we may be relying on instinct and muscle memory to get us out. I think of it like tying knots...you may be able to tie a knot while camping on a nice day or while sitting in your living room, but do you know the knot well enough to tie it with nasty wounds, exhausted with numb fingers and knowing if you can't tie the knot to secure your shelter you very well may die? As I have said many times before, if you have to think about it, you don't know it well enough. I may have to add that to my sig line...

I would add a poncho, duct-tape,chap stick and some tinder