Emergency hammer

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An emergency hammer is a safety device used in vehicles to break through window glass in an emergency.

It is a simple tool with a plastic handles and steel tip. Its primary use is for breaking through vehicle windows, which are often reinforced, in the event of a crash which prevents exit through the doors. They are commonly found on public transport, in particular trains and buses. The example pictured also illustrates a cutting tool at the other end of the hammer. This is used for cutting through seatbelts in the event that they are inhibiting a passengers exit.

Safety Hammers are also known as bus mallets, safety mallet and bus hammers. On Most safety hammers can be found a restricting cable, which prevents passengers using the safety hammer as a weapon to incapacitate or otherwise mortally injure other passengers. The cable also prevents the safety hammer being stolen, in which case it could not be used in an emergency as it is not there.