A vehicle is a great thing to have, especially when point A and point B are too far of a distance from one another for walking or riding your bike. However, automobiles come with some health hazards, aside from the risk of an accident on the road.
Whether you bought it brand new and have been the only owner, or you had bad credit and had to get what used car was cheap and available, your vehicle could be harboring some toxic (or at least not so nice things) inside it. Here are a few of the dangers posed by vehicles, aside from car accidents.
Smoke And Secondhand Smoke
If you’re a smoker, or someone that rides in your vehicle with you is, you are getting even more of that cigarette smoke into your lungs, even if you roll the windows down. Plus, the people riding with you are getting a bigger dose of second-hand smoke. In many ways, second-hand smoke is just as bad as being a smoker, since it still increases your risk of developing lung cancer.
Exhaust Fumes
Exhaust fumes are most deadly in an enclosed space. They emit carbon monoxide which can kill you, and it doesn’t take that long to do it either. This is why it is extremely important to not heat your car up in a closed up garage. Open the door before starting your vehicle.
Mold
Mold can build up in a vehicle. If you have a leaky window or left it down even once and rain got in and onto your interior, there could be mold growing. It could also be in the material on the flooring of your car (always have plastic mats on your car’s flooring to help prevent this).
If you eat in your car there is a good chance food has dropped on the floor. Not only is there a mold risk, but if you have small children or pets they could eat old food and end up sick.
Fire Risks
Vehicles pose fire risks. Fires can happen inside the vehicle and under the hood. There are numerous things that can cause a car fire, from faulty wiring to a fluid leak.
Regular maintenance of your vehicle can help keep down your risks of a car fire. However, accidents can happen.
Critters
Bugs and other animals can move into your vehicle, especially if you let it sit for long periods of time. Even a bee flying around in your vehicle can be a health hazard to someone who is allergic to them or afraid of them.
Some critters, like mice and squirrels, can collect food and bedding and put it in areas under your hood or even in your tailpipe, which can cause even more vehicle problems (including another fire risk). Check under your hood often, especially in the winter or after prolonged periods of parking (even if you’re parking in a garage). If you have a truck, you may wish to invest in a cover from somewhere like Peragon (https://www.peragon.com/shop/covers/Toyota/Tundra) to prevent them from making a mess in the truck bed itself.