FYI, it is legal, in Florida, to break a vehicle window to rescue a child or animal. You are required to call 911 first, then break the window and wait for a LEO to arrive.
With the use of safety glass or whatever it is called, how can people escape if doors are jammed and windows are up? I carry punches in both vehicles, I do have a somewhat irrational fear of going off a bridge into salt water, do I now need something else to clear the window? .
Same here in Washington state.
In Virginia, it is not legal for regular citizens to break a vehicle’s glass to rescue a trapped child or animal. Under Virginia Law, only trained professionals like police officers, firefighters, or animal control officers are legally protected from property damage if they break into a car.
The publish instructions concerning a child: Call 911 immediately, tell the 911 dispatcher exactly where you are and the car’s make, model, color, and license plate.
For an Animal: we are instructed to call the local police non-emergency line or Animal Control. Like everyone has those numbers on Speed Dial. I have my county’s numbers, but not those of adjacent areas…
In Virginia, regular citizens can face vandalism charges for breaking a window.
However; at this time in Virginia, there are no recorded cases of a bystander being prosecuted for vandalism for breaking a car window to rescue a trapped, endangered child. Virginia’s Good Samaritan Law protects citizens from civil liability for property damage when they intervene in good faith to save a person in a life-threatening emergency.
I think that the CT flea market I referred to earlier used “smash in your car window” as a motivator, and probably rarely, if ever, followed through on it. They even gave the violator time to get to their vehicle and remedy the situation.
Verbal threats have been used, across time, and continue to be used. But following through on them can have long-lasting and widespread consquences.
Look at the lower corner of the side glass window. It will have a manufacturer ID and type of glass listed there; either tempered or laminated.
If it is laminated, you’ll need something to cut through the film in addition to the glass breaker. There are combination tools available like this one:
Thank you. I have the hammer type with seatbelt cutter. Will check what kind of glass my vehicles have.
I’ve got one of those hammers and belt cutters in each car but doubt it would really work. I just resolved to stay out of lakes and rivers when driving. Only if the bridge goes down like on 35. Close but not my usual route home, a riviera like mine was at the bottom of the rubble. My sister called from Kansas after seeing the news and thought it was me. I. Thought then that I should really have a rope and flotation device in the car in addition to the hammer. I don’t count it as one of my four brushes with death, though. Just not close enough.
This link includes a great video and it really does answer how to get into a locked car, laminated glass or tempered… I still see YT videos of fire departments trying to smash their way into laminated glass rather than cutting the windshield out or cutting the glass like one would cut drywall…
My drivers front door glass on my 23 only has Toyota and Pilkington (glass maker for those that didn’t know) and a few codes or whatever at the bottom corner, but nothing spelt out as to what type of glass it is… Maybe if not marked it is tempered and only marked laminated if it is laminated… I thought laminated was more for the luxury and higher trim level vehicles anyway, and my truck is neither… lol
I think you forgot the link sir…
In this post, I was referring to a previous posting made by @TwinTurbo … I probably should have written “Your Link” referring to the the "Twin’s " previous posting… versus “This link…”
But here is the link that @TwinTurbo posted that I was referring to… As I wrote, the video on this link offers some good advice.
I am sorry about the confusion, I knew exactly what I was thinking; too bad, everyone else had to guess… 
I don’t think it’s sheer stupidity, inattentiveness and lack of YOUR resolve that results in people nevertheless drowning in their cars at the bottom of a lake and river . . . and often not being heard from for years or decades
They show how easy it is to cut the urethane perimeter of a windshield for removal (not true).
Also how to cut laminated glass while wearing gauntlets.
If there is a need to remove a window in less than 10 minutes; break a different window. The windows in the rear of the vehicle (rear window and cargo area) are generally tempered glass and will crumble upon impact. Movable sunroof panels are generally tempered safety glass.
I always carry the small one. I had at least one confiscated at the airport and cost me about $30 at Menards for a new one. Mandatory carry though.
I must be blind but I didn’t see any rescue video. Maybe didn’t look through the advertising enough? Spam? Doesn’t bother me but the police might be trolling.
Break glass, effect rescue and call 9-1-1.
Sorry that I got the order wrong. I’m lesdyxic.
You know, it someone else wrote this about Dyslexia, they would be pilloried (severely criticized)…
I never gave it much thought but in a class once of middle aged adults, one community leader came to tears as he revealed his life long struggles with this condition. Teachers never considered it back in the good old days and condemned students for their lack of academic success. My eyes were opened.
Want your eyes open even more..?
I have dyslexia, dyscalculia, and was diagnosed ADHD and later as Aspergers! Yeah, you could say I’m top of the line model.
