For emergencies
That’s why you should always keep an emergency hammer in your car
You can easily break car windows with an emergency hammer
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The very idea of not being able to free yourself from your own car is sheer horror for vehicle owners. In order to be prepared for an (hopefully non-existent) emergency, the ADAC recommends carrying an emergency hammer.
The recent events in Baltimore have once again shown how important it is to be prepared for emergencies: In a ship accident that damaged a bridge, several vehicles fell into the depths. It’s bad enough that this tragic event even happened – but would you have known what to do if your car was about to sink in a river? The fact is that the strong forces that masses of water can exert on a vehicle from inside and outside quickly make it impossible to open windows and doors normally. For this reason, the ADAC recommends having an emergency hammer in your car in case of an emergency. There is often a seatbelt cutter on it, which allows you to free yourself from the vehicle in an emergency. Below we will introduce you to a suitable model and give you further tips on what you should always have with you in the car in the event of a breakdown, an accident or a police stop.
Emergency hammer: The ADAC recommends this model
According to the ADAC, it is advisable to keep an emergency hammer in the car – as an example this model called with non-slip handle. The operation is child’s play (in the truest sense of the meaning) and can be used by both vehicle owners and their offspring: “Simply place the hammer on the window and press it. The patented spring mechanism triggers a ceramic pin that works in a fraction of a second “The window breaks. It doesn’t splinter, but falls apart into thousands of small pieces,” explains the ADAC. In an emergency, the emergency hammer also functions as a knife to cut a belt if it cannot be loosened by hand.
Another tip: The Lifehammer Evolution can be easily installed in the car using a quick-click system. Ideally, you should install an emergency hammer on the driver and passenger side.
You should always keep this in your car
Every vehicle owner must adhere to certain safety guidelines, otherwise they could face a hefty fine in the event of an accident or a police stop. Below we will list the most important things for you again ADAC Every driver should always carry with them:
- First aid kit: In order to be able to provide first aid, every vehicle owner is obliged to have a first aid kit in the car. They write what exactly has to be found in it DIN standard 13164 and paragraph 35 h of the StVZO (Road Traffic Licensing Regulations). Important for you to know: Since the Corona pandemic, two masks must also be carried.
- Warning triangle: In the event of an accident, the warning triangle is intended to draw attention to your car breakdown in good time. “In fast traffic, this is around 100 meters. On the motorway, the warning triangle should be at least 150 meters, which corresponds to around 200 steps, in front of the danger zone,” says the ADAC.
- Driving license and vehicle documents: Also always carry with you when you drive a driver’s license and the registration certificate Part I (formerly: vehicle registration document) – both must be the originals and not certified copies.
- High visibility vest: Whether in a car, bus or truck – in Germany all vehicle owners are obliged to have at least one high-visibility vest (European standard EN 471 or EN ISO 20471) to have at hand. Even better, but not required, are several models.
Source: ADAC
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