A driver used a window-breaking tool to escape her car after she drove into the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Franklin, Somerset County, on Thursday, July 21, 2022.Franklin (Somerset) police

There may be nothing as terrifying for a driver or passenger than the thought of being trapped in a vehicle as it slowly sinks into water.

That nightmarish scenario played out last week in the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Somerset County, but thankfully there was a happy ending.

A 23-year-old woman who accidentally drove her car into the canal around 11 p.m. Thursday used a “window break tool” to shatter one of her car windows and free herself after calling 9-1-1 and getting guidance from a Franklin Township police dispatcher.

She then climbed out of the car and swam to the east bank of the canal, escaping with minor injuries while her sinking car drifted north, said Franklin Township Police Sgt. Vincent Wilson.

The incident put a spotlight on window break tools — usually small plastic and metal hammers that typically cost $15 or less — and the Franklin Township police director suggested all drivers stow one in their cars.

The tools are designed to easily break the windows of a vehicle if someone is trapped inside. However, window break tools do not always work in every vehicle, experts warn.

In a study published three years ago on window break tools, AAA — the motorist advocacy group — estimated that there were 7,900 crashes in the U.S. in 2017 in which a vehicle became partially or fully submerged in water. When a vehicle sinks in water, doors and windows sometimes malfunction or will not open and motorists will need to break through a side window.

The 2019 study by AAA found that only 4 of 6 tools tested— three hammer-style tools and three with spring-loaded mechanisms — were able to break tempered glass side windows. But, none broke through laminated glass side windows, which remained intact even after being cracked by the tool, the study found.

About one in three vehicles manufactured in 2018 had laminated glass side windows, which are stronger and much more difficult to break, AAA said. Tempered glass, by contrast, typically shatters into small pieces when broken.

“To improve safety, more vehicles are being equipped with laminated side windows — but a majority also have at least one window made of tempered glass,” John Nielsen, managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair for AAA, said after the 2019 story.

“Our research found that generally vehicle escape tools can be effective in an emergency, but only if drivers know what type of side windows they have, otherwise they could waste precious seconds trying to break glass that will not shatter,” Nielson said.

Motorists must check the specifications of their cars to determine which, if any, windows are laminated glass. AAA recommends checking your vehicle’s manual or the manufacturer’s website.

Franklin police said they did not have information on the type of window broken by the motorist in her escape, nor did they know the specific brand of tool she used.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does not endorse or require any window-breaking tools.

Robert Sinclair, a spokesperson for AAA Northeast, said that the Lifehammer Brand Safety Hammer is “probably the most popular” of the tools among motorists.

It is priced on Amazon at $14.95 and, according to the product description, is a double-sided, hardened steel hammer-head “for easily breaking non-laminated side car windows.” It includes a sharp knife, for cutting seat belts, and a mounting bracket for easy retrieval during an emergencies.

However, there are multiple similar window breaking tools also on the market.

Sinclair stressed the importance of knowing both where a window break tool is located and where to secure it in the vehicle so it does not take flight and become deadly in a crash.

AAA offered additional recommendations in its 2019 study, including avoiding tools with extra features such as lights or chargers. The study also noted if a vehicle is submerged, a hammer-style escape tool might be considerably harder to swing underwater and may not be effective.

Drivers should know the type of glass — tempered or laminated — on all windows in their vehicles. If the car has least one tempered window, this will be the best point of exit in an emergency, AAA states.

AAA reiterated that “standard escape tools will not break laminated glass.”

Sinclair also noted that the front windshield of a vehicle is often “laminated for safety” and the window-breaking tool will not work. While many rear windows are not laminated glass, it would be easier for motorists to break non-laminated side windows if they need to escape.

”Better go for the one that is closest,” Sinclair said.

Here are some other tips, via the 2019 study:

Last week’s incident in the Delaware and Raritan Canal remains under investigation by the Franklin Township police department, officials said.

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Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.

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