Wise Guy 4 Hazards Inside Your Car
4 Hazards Inside Your Car
As you hit the road this summer, know this: the stuff inside your car can be just as hazardous as the obstacles outside
© Brian Stauffer
Ditch these hitchhikers...
Dashboard
A widely used flame retardant called hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) often comes embedded in foam cushioning, but it doesn’t always stay there. In a 2009 study published in the journal Environment Inter-national, researchers detected this noxious chemical in dust on the front panel, dashboard, and steering wheel – meaning you and your passengers are probably breathing it in.
Stay safe:
Vacuum your car at least once a week. Or purchase an air filter, like the Airdow Auto Mate Purifier (R550 www.h2o.co.za), which plugs into the cigarette lighter. This device helps filter out HBCD-laced dust and other allergens.
Interior air
That nice new-car smell comes from the fresh paint, upholstery, deodorisers and plastic in the car’s interior. But the aroma comes loaded: you’re breathing in potentially carcinogenic, gaseous chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a 2007 Taiwanese study found.
Stay safe:
The VOCs persist long after the smell is gone, and levels increase when your car heats up. So aim for shady parking spots. If sun is unavoidable, the Ecology Centre in Michigan suggests using a windshield
sunshade or cracking your windows slightly to let the vapours escape.
Stereo
Cranking up the radio may be harming your heart, according to a 2009 study from South Korea. Researchers found that men who were regularly exposed to noise of 85 decibels or above had significantly higher systolic blood pressure after nine years than those in quieter surroundings. Many stereos’ maximum volumes exceed 100 decibels.
Stay safe:
Normal conversation averages about 60 decibels, a safe level for extended listening, according to the National Institutes of Health. So do a sound check in your car: with your favourite Jay-Z album blasting, speak at your normal volume. Now turn the stereo’s volume down until you can clearly hear your voice over Jigga’s.
Cruise control
Running on cruise can delay your reaction time by about five seconds, according to a 2011 German study that tested drivers as they entered road curves or foggy spots – places you don’t want to waste reaction time.
Stay safe:
Hit cruise control only on flat, straight roads on sunny days. And when you do, keep both feet on the floor so you can brake if necessary.
Last updated: Mon, 2011-12-05 09:20
How about the back seat driver wife? and the screaming kids!!!!
Thanks for the warnings but it's very unlikely for these things to happen. It's good to be aware of all the risks though. Sometimes your car needs repair and you don't even know it, that what I am afraid most. It's one of the reasons why I replaced the fog lights recently, a technical check is enough to solve the problem.
I think the biggest hazard in my car is my electric cigarette lighter, it started malfunctioning a couple of years ago but since I hardly ever used it, I ignored it. The last time my friend pushed it, it got stuck there and we couldn't take it out, it was starting to smell like hot metal when we panicked and cut the power from the battery. Maybe I'll spare myself the trouble of fixing it, just donate a car and buy a good one.
I once knew a Tucson Chevy dealer who sold me some tips about changing the smell of my car without using so many fresheners or sprays.I also find them harmful and sometimes kind of pointless.
I had the same problems with my car, especially in the summer. So I decided to sell it on Denver classifieds, I made the ad not long ago and so far no one called me. I am hoping that someone will call to buy it because the price is decent and the car is good. I am not selling it because I don't works but because I want a bigger car.
For my own safety I bought recently motorhome accessories. I learned my lesson last year when I had a grave car accident and I stayed in hospital for three weeks. Luckily no one died but it was enough to make me understand how much my worth.
This post is very useful and interesting.I've recently taken a
cdl phoenix certificate and my father bought me a car.After reading your article I've made an idea about how to be safe in my car.
When all those things happen in your car means that you need a new one. I would recommend you to visit Williamson Buick/GMC, I'm sure you will find there a nice car for you.
I think that it is a good idea to air out the interior of the car once every few weeks. Like the article said, some dangerous chemicals can linger in the air, and if there is high humidity, you might even find mold growing at dark parts where you can't really see. That is probably time to get the advice of a Mold Removal expert.
I totally agree. It is getting harder and harder to stay asleep these days due to stress and the rest of our gadgets. Sometimes it is something we can't really detect, like mold polluting our air or even the electromagnetic waves from our phones. http://www.mold-removal-montreal.com
Thank you for this useful article, it's very important to know how to take care of your car. Although I don't have a car yet, I'm thinking about buying one from AutoFair Ford dealers and I definitely will follow the tips from this article.
You should be very careful not to have an accident with that car, but if it happens, the first thing is to go to the nearest hospital to check if you are ok. Then if you have injuries you can check stryker hip recall lawsuit webpage and you will get more info from there.
Thanks for the useful tips! Sometimes things that are not visible to your eyes, you simply become ignorant of them and they could be harming you in silence. I do vacuum my car once a week but only on the carpets because of dusts or food remnants my kids would have left behind. Now, I will ensure to vacuum or dust off the dashboard and upholstery as well just to be safe. And we're already on the safe side for the VOC problem I guess, because on a sunny day, we leave the windows slightly open to let the warm air out, thus releasing the VOC vapours out too.
There are many different types of anxiety disorders, every along with varying symptoms and methods of treatment panic
When all these things happen in your car then it means that you need to change some parts. I know a place with some great Aftermarket Accessories with very good prices.
Not long ago my car broke down and I don't know what is the problem. I guess that my battery died, but I am not an expert. So I have to go to the local auto service and let there my car for a week to be repaired. I am pleased with their service because they always give some <Discount Auto Parts. You don't find these kind of offers anymore.
When we travel through a car we need to be careful about our driving so that no harm takes place neither to us nor the people walking in the road. But sometimes it happens that things inside our car could be as dangerous the car. There are five hazardous which could harm us and these are dashboard, stereo, cruise control, interior air. By looking at all these we could be safe.
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We drive our car daily but are unaware of any hazards caused by some parts of the car like dashboard, cruise control etc. I have never imagined that car deodorizers can cause harm to our health. So it is better to spend some time in checking these parts regularly so that the hazards can be avoided.
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Its a very nice blog for the car users. At the time of driving if the car will be cleaned and decorate in a proper system then the drive will be comfortable. Sometimes clean the interior and the dartboard and at the time of driving the stereo will be in slow condition.
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I even had a friend who worked at wholesale RV and I don't think he knew so many "Hazards" in a car. It is so good to know things...
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