Car window hammer/seatbelt cutter conversations

A while back I got some of these in case we ever got into an accident. Basically it’s a window hammer and a seatbelt cutter and in an accident you can use them to escape a car.

I’d never really considered needing these before kids because I have a wide variety of tools on me at all times, but I wanted there to be escape options for the kids in the event I’m not able to get them out.

This has lead to numerous conversations about how you get to use the thing only in the event of an emergency, it’s not a knee-whacking tool, you can’t repair seatbelts, and that some people can die in a car wreck and that’s why daddy keeps his eyes on the freaking road all the time and rarely looks back at whatever spit bubble is being asked to be looked at.

Oddly I just watched that episode of Jessica Jones, so year, keeping eye on the road even more so now.

So we’ve been working on a plan, it’s not currently ideal because the cutter/hammer can’t be attached easily in either of my vehicles to somewhere convenient. Had to have the talk that in the event of a crash that button that opens the doors probably isn’t going to work anymore and to not wait on an adult if they’re not responding to get out.

Trying to steer all of these into the positive – get out, get help. She keeps bringing it into the “I’ll wait for you” and I’m very much steering it into “wait outside the car”. Trying to not go full Disney on her and let her know she can bring help rather than wait for it.

Been an interesting talk of empowerment and rescuing both self and others and knowing what one’s limits are. All from a cheap hammer.

Should you get that tool up there? I don’t know. That’s just the one I got. Just have something to get the hell out of a car in the event of seatbelt locking and door jamming. I think it was the least expensive that looked decent to me.