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Good safety flashlight for vehicles

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jrsavoie

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We are looking for a few of the flashlights that have the window breaker, sear belt cutter and a decent flashlight.

My granddaughter requested one for her car and I thought it might be good if everybody had one.

I did a fair amount of searching and never found one with a good flashlight as part of the tool.
 
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LeeG

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Phoenix, AZ
I did a fair amount of research on this also, and decided on a window breaker/seat belt cutter that we keep attached to the turn signal lever with a very small zip tie. We added flat key chain lights to the car keys. We also keep a small AAA flashlight in each car in a handy place, held in place with some velcro.

The idea is that we never want to remove the ReqQ tool, as then it won't be where we expect it to be in an emergency. Lights are much more commonly used and so should be easy to find even in the dark.
 
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aggiegrads

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Agree with LeeG. I would get a rescue tool that is never moved or used; it is always ready to use. And for a flashlight, I would use a headlamp, which can always be hand-held, but is far more useful for changing a flat, digging out of mud, looking for something in the trunk, etc.
 
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tez929rr

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PoorUB said:
Keep in mind that often the side windows are often laminated glass, more likely if the car has side air bags. You will not get through laminated glass with one of those rescue tools.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a28422725/car-windows-glass-aaa-unbreakable/
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A 3.99 spring loaded punch will easily break side windows. We carry them in our extrication coat pockets. If you do it with another tool like a Halligan it takes some serious force. Laminated side windows aren’t that common yet but it’s a lot more work. At least you can pull it out once an edge is loose, like a windshield.
 
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Steve_P

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It doesn't matter for the topic, but laminated side and back glass is typically for sound insulation, bullet resistance (edit- think assassination attempts) , and not air bag protection. Windshields are laminated and cars have had passenger dash airbags for decades. Mercedes has been using laminated back glass since the early 1980s- no airbags there. 5 pages of that 21 page list are MB.

Edit- I meant that windshields were laminated decades before airbags existed
 
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PoorUB

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tez929rr said:
Laminated side windows aren’t that common yet but it’s a lot more work. At least you can pull it out once an edge is loose, like a windshield.
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Not that common? Take a look at this list. Keep in mind this list is 2-3 years old.

https://www.aaa.com/AAA/common/AAR/files/Laminated-Glass-Vehicle-List.pdf

Pretty sure my 2021 Ram has laminated side windows. I just checked, it does.

All I am saying is if you are at all concerned about breaking out in a crash, maybe you should find out which windows you have so you can be better prepared.
 
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FMB4

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Steve_P said:
It doesn't matter for the topic, but laminated side and back glass is typically for sound insulation and (edit for nonsense) air bag protection. Windshields are laminated and cars have had passenger dash airbags for decades.
Click to expand...
Sorry, laminated glass has very little to do with 'air bag protection' and nothing to do with (edit for nonsense).
 
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Steve_P

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I worked in Tier 1 automotive glass manufacturing for 5+ years; I read the monthly trade journals. At that time laminated side glass and backlites were primarily for sound insulation and secondary for protection from assassination. Something as small and quiet as a BB gun, or a spring-loaded center punch, will turn a tempered side window into a thousand pieces on the floor before you know what's happening. Then someone who doesn't like you walks up and says "hello". Laminated glass will not do this.
Believe what you want, but it's not a coincidence that MB has 5 pages of that list, backed up by Audi, BMW....
 
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tez929rr

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theoldwizard1 said:
Laminate glass is two sheets of glass with a very tough plastic film sandwiched in between. Very difficult to puncture the plastic film.
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Why did you leave out the part where I said:
“Laminated side windows aren’t that common yet but it’s a lot more work. At least you can pull it out once an edge is loose, like a windshield.”?

We break a lot of windows and cut a lot of windshields out of cars.
 
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tez929rr

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theoldwizard1 said:
What do you use to cut a windshield ?
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Usually a reciprocating saw; there are dedicated window hand saws. One solution is a hacksaw with two blades going different directions. If you can knock it loose in a corner usually the whole thing will pull out since the laminate holds it together. We almost always take the occupants out through a side door although sometimes pulling off the entire odd roof is easier. This Toyota was hard against a tree so we had to winch it away to free the driver’s feet. He won’t ever walk again but was sipping out of his red solo cup when the cops first arrived.1707CB65-8F68-4827-A433-3167445B0115.jpeg70E50850-6D07-4643-BDC6-9490FAFDCE29.jpeg
 
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jonshonda

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Well where should one keep such a device? If it's for personal use in an accident what are the chances of being able to reach it if it's in the glove box? And IF you can reach the glove box, what are the chances of it being right on top and easy to access?
 
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jrsavoie

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tez929rr said:
A 3.99 spring loaded punch will easily break side windows. We carry them in our extrication coat pockets. If you do it with another tool like a Halligan it takes some serious force. Laminated side windows aren’t that common yet but it’s a lot more work. At least you can pull it out once an edge is loose, like a windshield.
Click to expand...
Do you have a link to a specific item that will work?

I can screw up a one car funeral procession when it cones to ordering.

I ordered the wrong alfalfa seed afew years ago
 
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jrsavoie

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Steve_P said:
I worked in Tier 1 automotive glass manufacturing for 5+ years; I read the monthly trade journals. At that time laminated side glass and backlites were primarily for sound insulation and secondary for protection from assassination. Something as small and quiet as a BB gun, or a spring-loaded center punch, will turn a tempered side window into a thousand pieces on the floor before you know what's happening. Then someone who doesn't like you walks up and says "hello". Laminated glass will not do this.
Believe what you want, but it's not a coincidence that MB has 5 pages of that list, backed up by Audi, BMW....
Click to expand...
How does it hold up to a .22 or larger?

If bullet proof is the idea, what would you use to break it?

Might have to go back to hand cranks or start carrying av12 ga again
 
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jd_1138

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As for the flashlight, the Quantum ones from HF are great and only like $11 for 700 lumens or so, and it includes a self-defense aspect (sharp edges on the front). I'd probably buy one of those and get a separate window basher and seat belt cutter.
 
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joseywales

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jonshonda said:
Well where should one keep such a device? If it's for personal use in an accident what are the chances of being able to reach it if it's in the glove box? And IF you can reach the glove box, what are the chances of it being right on top and easy to access?
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I keep one in my door panel pocket. If I'm still in my seat, I can reach it.

A few years, on a beautiful day, despite my doing the speed limit, and pushing on the brake so hard my a$$ left the seat, an enormous tree fell on my Ford Explorer. I reached for the hammer, but the tree had engulfed the truck so much, that no window gave me a decent exit.

I climbed my way to the rear of the truck, only to find there's no way to open the rear hatch from the inside. Just before I tried to break it, a passerby came to the truck and opened the rear hatch. You should have seen people's expressions when I walked out of that mess :eek:
 
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Fatboy148

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I have a piece of 550 cord that holds a Kershaw knife with a window breaker in every vehicle on the shift lever or windshield wiper controls. It's definitely not a high-end knife but I bought a bunch of them off Woot for maybe $15 each. They used to come in green as well, that model may have had a different name. A yellow Fox 40 whistle is also on that cord. I have another piece of cord that lives right there too, it holds a little brass canister with strike anywhere matches in it, a ferro rod and a peanut sized lighter.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYR1UGM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.kmmatchcase.com/product-page/standard-brass-case

Everyone should watch some videos about breaking auto glass. It's not as much about force applied, it's about technique and knowing where and how to apply the force. It's almost funny to watch an untrained person struggle, beating on a side window with a Mag Light and then you walk up, borrow their light, tap the glass in the corner and it falls to the ground.
 
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