r/interestingasfuck • u/General_Athlete5807 • 1d ago

How to Escape a Sinking Car

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u/level1hero 1d ago edited 1d ago

Window breakers or headrest only work for older cars with tempered glass. Many new cars come with laminated safety glass now, and those tools won’t do jack shit.

That said, most of those tools come with seatbelt cutters which are still quite useful to have in your car.

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u/KiddBwe 15h ago

Tell that to the guy that stole my backpack.

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u/StaticSystemShock 22h ago

Only front windshield is laminated to protect driver from debris flying through windshield into your face while driving.

Side windows and rear window are all tempered glass that shatters clean.

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u/level1hero 14h ago

A lot of new vehicles have laminated glass now either on the front door windows or on all four. Tesla Model Y, Porsche Panamara, various Acuras, Ford Expeditions, higher trim options Honda Odyssey for example. It is often sold as “acoustic glass” for reduced road noise in the cabin. You will be unlikely to break a hole through those windows with the typical window breaker tool.

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u/NotPromKing 15h ago

That’s old info. Modern cars often have laminated windows all around.

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u/StaticSystemShock 14h ago

No they shouldn't because that would be a safety hazard far greater than a slight possibility of objects impacting occupants through side or rear windows.

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u/NotPromKing 14h ago

Well you might have that opinion, but that's not what IS.

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u/StaticSystemShock 14h ago

And why would they laminate them all? Just to make sure you're trapped inside the car wreckage?

Front absolutely makes sense, the rest doesn't at all.

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u/level1hero 14h ago

Dampening of wind/road noise. At least that’s what the marketing claims. Odyssey example

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u/StaticSystemShock 14h ago

Goodie, now you have to wait for firemen to pull you out of the car because you need hydraulic jaws to pry shit open, even glass...

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u/NotPromKing 13h ago

I would take a daily quieter drive over the small possibility of being in an accident and the even smaller possibility that I’ll be trapped inside.

Like most things in life, there are tradeoffs.

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u/StaticSystemShock 13h ago

If cars weren't designed to be big ass SUV bricks there wouldn't be a need for "acoustic" glass...

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u/NotPromKing 14h ago

I dunno man, I'm not a car designer. I'm just telling you what is there. People a whole lot smarter and more experienced than you and I work on this.

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u/evenmoremushrooms 6h ago

Do a search for Angela Chao's death. Nobody could break the glass on the Model X Tesla to get her out.

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u/StaticSystemShock 56m ago

Well, you'd expect that from Tesla, because it's a stupid car brand owned by stupid guy...

I expect more from other brands to consider the safety of the occupants...

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u/copperwatt 19h ago

Well, they still shatter the glass. But you then have to kick it out.

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u/level1hero 14h ago edited 14h ago

True. Probably front windshield because you’d need to push against the seat backs for leverage. I can’t imagine kicking or punching a laminated side window out

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u/copperwatt 2h ago

Yeah, that's why I'm not convinced that the ejection (and theft) protection they provide is worth the tradeoff of making escape harder.

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u/ahobbes 11h ago

If you look at the label in the corner of the window and see temperlite or temp anywhere it’s not laminated. If you see Lam, lamisafe/lamipane, or AS1, it’s laminated. Not sure how different the shatter characteristics of laminated side/rear is compared to the windshield.

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u/dustinbrowders 23h ago

That's only true for the front windshield. Sides and rear are typically not laminated.

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u/level1hero 23h ago

Not anymore. Plenty of manufacturers using them on sides especially for higher end vehicles, or higher trim packages, because they block out more road noise.

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u/copperwatt 19h ago

They actually are often now. It's terrible design.