Are you prepared? Tips for creating your road emergency kit
How prepared are you for an emergency?
It’s a simple question I think many of us fail to ask ourselves until it’s too late. When we do act preemptively, I find our answer tends to hinge more on our confidence than our preparedness.
The more anxious among us worry that their four-month supply of nonperishable food in their cellar isn’t enough. Meanwhile, the more confident are taking off their life vests on the Delaware River because they once watched the 100-meter backstroke at the Olympics, which didn’t look that hard.
But 2020 has been one disaster after another, so I hope people are being more thoughtful about preparing for emergencies. Since this is the Road Warrior column, I figured we’d consider road emergency kits. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably underprepared.
AAA recommends you have the following items in your car
Jumper cables or a jump pack A basic tool kit and duct tape Flashlight and spare batteries Reflective triangles or road flares A first aid kit
Drinking water and snacks
Car charger for your cell phone Raincoat
Snow shovel, brush and ice scraper Sand or kitty litter to assist with traction
Blankets
Rags or paper towels
In addition, I’d suggest packing a reflective vest so other motorists have a better chance of spotting you in the dark. In most scenarios, you want to stay in your car, but sometimes you might need to walk or work in unlit areas.
Another item missing from this list is an emergency hammer. Devises like Resqme or LifeHammer are used to smash your window in case you need to escape should your car door become stuck in a crash or high water. However, these items are becoming ineffective on newer vehicles, which increasingly use tougher laminated glass on side windows. AAA found last year some hammers can’t crack this glass and none of the most popular models could break it.
If you want an emergency hammer, I would recommend you check what type of glass your vehicle uses. The side windows should have etchings saying what type of glass they have. If they’re tempered glass, the emergency hammers may be worth the investment. If it’s laminated glass, you’re better off saving your money.
You can assemble all these items yourself or purchase a ready-made safety kit online or at some auto stores.
While premade kits may be cheaper, make sure the contents match up with your needs before you make a purchase.
A kit that swaps out a jumper cables for a glockenspiel and a dozen other doodads may sound impressive but isn’t all that helpful.
If you’re not physically up for addressing some of these emergencies like changing a flat or digging yourself out of a snowbank, it may be wise to subscribe to a roadside emergency service. If you do, recognize that these organizations cannot instantly respond in your time of need. On a memorable early date with Mrs. Road Warrior, we found ourselves stuck in the Philadelphia Zoo parking lot for several hours before AAA could jump my car. I’m not sure why she agreed to another date after that.
Turn around, don’t drown
On Tuesday, the Lehigh Valley witnessed a tragic death during Tropical Storm Isaias. Police said a 44-year-old Allentown woman died after she drove into high water in Upper Macungie Township. Her vehicle was swept away in the flood.
Cases like this are somewhat rare in Pennsylvania but not unheard of. Last year, a pregnant woman and her 9-year-old son died when a flash flood overwhelmed their vehicle in Berks County.
A 64-year-old woman drowned in Allegheny County in 2018; officials believe she abandoned her disabled car in floodwaters only to be swept away as she tried to walk home.
The infrequency of flooding means some drivers may not know how to react if they encounter rising waters. I hit on this topic a few years ago, but it can’t hurt to go over again, especially under the circumstances.
Do not drive into high water
Most vehicles will take catastrophic damage if driven through 6 inches of water. At that height, engines will suck in water and be permanently disabled, transforming one of your most expensive possessions into a very large paperweight.
In cases of a flash flood, you may not be able to avoid high water. But often, it’s completely within your control. Two years ago, motorists kept ignoring barricades on Route 512 in East Allen Township only to become trapped in floodwater near Jaindl Boulevard. Rescue crews were already stretched thin but had to keep responding to the same spot because of people’s foolishness.
Sometimes, water levels can be deceiving, especially at night. What appears to be a shallow puddle could be deceptively deep from an unexpected dip in the road. Rushing water can wash away roads, making even familiar streets too dangerous to cross. If you cannot tell how deep the water is, you’re better off turning around.
Abandoning ship
If you find your car sinking in deep water, don’t panic. Time will be precious, and you need to keep a clear head. Depending on the circumstances, a vehicle can sink in less than a minute. The National Weather Service said most passenger vehicles will float in a foot of water. Two feet of rushing water is enough to carry away an SUV or pickup truck.
In my last column on this topic, I cited a report by ABC News and The Weather Channel. It recommended that people in sinking cars attempt to open their windows as soon as possible and escape through them. Water pressure can prevent you from opening your door, and the pressure will prevent you from opening the window if you wait too long. Having that emergency hammer mentioned earlier could come in handy, depending on the type of windows in your car.
This time I’ll cite the television show “Mythbusters,” which performs experiments to test urban legends or other outrageous scenarios. It largely confirmed the other report’s findings.
The biggest difference was that if you cannot open the window in time, there is another, riskier option. People in the car will need to wait until the water reaches their necks. Around that point — sometimes it takes longer — the pressure between inside and outside of the car door should equalize, allowing the occupants to open their doors and swim to safety.
This isn’t a great option for several reasons. The car could fill with water before the pressure equalizes, which is extremely dangerous.
Visibility in the water is also likely poor, making swimming underwater less than ideal.
Still, desperate times call for desperate measures, and that information could help save a life.
Morning Call reporter Tom Shortell can be reached at 610-820-6168 or tshortell@mcall.com.