Nowadays, car fire accidents have become a major problem and headache for the police as well as for the government. Many people died in these accidents. According to a report of the US Fire Administration, almost one in eight fires were responded by the fire department throughout the nation, in a highway vehicle.
Thirty-eight percent of Highway vehicles were the leading cause of the fire. Eighty-three percent of highway vehicles in passenger vehicles catch fire. And forty-five percent was due to the mechanical failure of the car.
Many of the experts believe that car fire was a combination of causes: human causes, mechanical causes, and chemical causes, and they all worked together to create an incredibly dangerous situation. Thousands of people have lost their lives in the last few decades due to car accident deaths. In this section, we will analyze the risk of a vehicle fire and give advice on how to work in these emergencies.
Causes of fire accidents
Knowing these factors can potentially help a car owner to avoid a car fire.
Bad Maintenance of the vehicle
If you are sluggish about maintenance, your car is normally going to be a lot more dangerous, and the car is more likely to catch fire as part of the greater risk you are taking. Forgetting or neglecting to take proper care of your car can indirectly cause a terrible fire.
As a result of it, if you let broken elements, leaky seals, or faulty wiring go while not repairs, it will make your automotive heaps a lot of hospitable to the conditions that cause a fireplace. An associate engine with a foul seal is a lot of doubtless to drip risky (and flammable) fluids.
Smoking Cigarettes and Cigar inside the car
Smoking is not only harmful to your health but is one of the causes of car fires. The ashes from a burning cigarette can burn the furnishings of your vehicle causing a fire in the car. Push-type car cigarette lighters can also cause a short circuit, resulting in flame under your car.
Combustible material storage in the vehicle
Police always recommend to not store combustible material in the vehicle. Things like a pressurized deodorant bottle or a pressurized air-freshener can get really warm and blast inside the vehicle when your car is parked under the sun resulting in a fire. It is also advisable that you never use the deodorant after smoking in the car to remove the smell because the Deodorant acts as a major fire hazard for your vehicle. So, try to avoid smoking inside the car.
Overheating of the Catalytic Converters
One of the hottest parts of your car continuously runs the entire length of the vehicle exhaust system. Catalytic converters usually get warm over because they are working hard to burn more exhaust pollutants than they were designed from the process. Catalytic converters have to work more to do their job, making it warmer than normal. This causes long-term damage not only to the converter but also to the surrounding parts of the car.
Getting Overheat of the Engines
A car engine may not be so hot that it simply gets caught in flames on its own. An engine may overheat and create internal fluids, such as oil and coolant, increasing hazardous temperatures and starting to exit their designated areas of circulation.
Aftermarket accessories
It is always advisable by the professional never accessorized your car from un-professional mechanics. Tempering with electronics on your automobile could become a major reason for a short-circuit. Many incidents have been reported in recent times where people install extra led lights, stereo, and many other devices on their automobile and this results in a car fire due to a short-circuit.
An overheating engine needs mechanical attention. There is often a leaky seal or gasket, or radiator is not working properly, or several other things.
Failures and Downfalls of Electrical System
Car batteries area unit problematic, and not simply the hybrid and all-electric vehicle battery pack varieties. A typical car’s custom battery is capable of inflicting many hassles. The battery’s charging cycles will cause explosive element gas to make up within the engine bay, and therefore the electrical current provided by the battery (along with faulty or loose wiring) will turn out sparks that may quickly ignite a fluid drip or leaked vapours. The electrical system’s hazards are not confined to the world below the hood, either.
Fuel leakage in the vehicle
Leaks in the fuel system are the most common reasons for car fires. Fuel leakage can happen on its own and with very little warning. A fuel system leak is indeed dangerous. At only 7.2 degrees Celsius or above, gasoline can catch fire with a simple spark. The best way to reduce the possibility of a fuel system fire is to ensure that the car is properly maintained and to keep it out of the conditions.
Aftermarket CNG/LPG kits
It is a common scenario in various countries where drivers often install low standard CNG/LPG kits on their vehicles. Most of the time it is done by the unprofessional mechanic which can result in a damaged car because of holes made to fit the CNG kit. These holes act as a passage for the highly flammable fuel through the cylinder to the cabin of the car. This proves as a major fire threat to your car. A factory-fitted or a standard CNG cylinder kit comes with an automatic cut-off on the detection of leakage. However, the aftermarket products only have one best feature which is it is cheaper than the standard product. Hence, they end up being one of the major causes of the fire.
12 simple steps to prevent your car from fire
1. Maintain your car by mechanic annually
The maintenance is the best way to avoid electrical or mechanical car fire. Also, this will help you to save expensive breakdowns on the road. Take your car to a maintenance shop at least once a year. A mechanic can give you the best advice about the safety of your car and any repairs you make.
2. Keep Sharp Eyes on Electrical System
As we told you two out of three vehicle fires are caused by electrical system failure or malfunction, so maintaining your car’s electrical system is essential to reducing your fire risk. Check your vehicle’s electrical system during your regularly scheduled maintenance, such as an oil change, coolant, antifreeze level or when you receive your annual car inspection.
3. warning signs
Your car is capable enough to provide an indication of the danger. The most common sign of an engine-related problem is the engine light. It is common for the light to come if there is a lack of oil or if the engine is not working properly. You can prevent your car from catching fire by getting the oil changed on time ( your car will provide warning signs to you of this need). It also alerts you to the need to top up fluid.
Then, there are a lot of signs to look for that could indicate the problem. The car may start releasing smoke or if you smell the oil burning this also means your vehicle needs maintenance.
4. Try not to smoke inside your vehicle
If you leave a burning cigarette in your vehicle or if hot ash falls on a flammable substance such as wire or paper. Then, a cigarette can cause a fire.
5. Fix a Fire Extinguisher in your car
A fire extinguisher and fire blanket can help you protect from the fire. Buy a fire extinguisher that is made for an automobile because the cause of a car fire is often related to electrical issues or combustible fuels, which require a different type of extinguisher.
6. Stop to store unwanted trash
Throw the rubbish out and avoid keeping unwanted things in your vehicle. Keeping this stuff in your vehicle will produce a fireplace hazard. Not solely do extra things, particularly crumpled paper, act as fuel if there’s a spark, they conjointly create it easier for you to accidentally leave an ignitable item in your automobile.
7. Park your car in a safe place
The mechanical parts of your car may become hot, and parts of the system may ignite dry materials that they come into contact with. Make sure you do not park around high grass or in an area where materials such as garbage can come into contact with your undercarriage or catalytic converter.
8. Inspect for the broken hoses
Get your hoses checked if you notice that fluids in your car are dropping unexpectedly or your air conditioner has stopped working. Glance under your hood to see if everything is in good condition and connected properly.
9 Change the oil cap if lost
A missing oil or fuel cap can be a hazard because both oil and fuel are flammable. Unnecessary items can come into the system because of absent caps, which may put your vehicle at risk.
10. Check the loosely connected wirings
Check around your engine by looking at the wires. Do not touch or displace anything. Cracked or loose wiring is a huge fire risk, so you need to fix it as soon as possible.
11. Be careful while installing aftermarket products
Many reports indicate that several car fires occur because of poorly installed aftermarket products. Such as your stereo system. A stereo system creates a network of wire which runs all over the car. A single cut in the wiring can lead to a fire. So, if you want to do any kind of modification in your car always contact the experts.
12. Remain alert for any burning smell
Your scenes are the first defence against any threat of fire in your vehicle. It is always advisable to remain alert for any kind of burning smell in your vehicle which could be coming from an initial fire burn. Early detection of fire could help you to prevent a major fire outbreak.
Some safety tips are there to help you which can prevent you and your car from catching fire.
To protect yourself is not only a government or police responsibility most of the accident occurs due to the peoples own mistake, who don’t maintain the vehicle properly. A little mistake can put you in a huge problem. If you see any of these signs, stop driving your car and have it checked immediately or visit your nearest mechanic.