Car air conditioners are poisoning people in the car
This shocking conclusion was just made by researchers from the Brit organization and was quoted by the British newspaper The Sun.
Accordingly, a series of car models such as Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo and Toyota C-HR were found to have a potential risk of air poisoning due to using faulty air filters. This defect directly affects the health of millions of people.
Faulty air filters cause car occupants to inhale millions of toxic particles with each breath, triggering asthma and other serious health problems, Brit said.
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| The VW Polo is one of many cars that does not filter out all the toxic gases from the air conditioning system. |
Brit researchers analysed the air in 11 popular car models to assess the ability of their ventilation systems to remove pollutants, the Sunday Times reveals.
Accordingly, the Toyota C-HR model only removes 1% of toxic air particles while the rate of VW Polo is 35%, Ford Fiesta - 40% and Mercedes-Benz E-class is 90%.
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| Air vents facing the ceiling to distribute cool air evenly. |
Nick Molden, CEO of emissions analysis organization Emissions Analytics, said the government has failed to have safety standards for air filtration systems in cars.
Emissions Analytics found 57,000 toxic particles in every cubic meter of road air, meaning drivers inhale up to 28 million toxic particles with every breath.
According to Spanish car manufacturer SEAT, hot air in a car affects the driver's reaction time. Specifically, if the cabin is 35 degrees Celsius, the driver's reaction time will decrease by 20% compared to a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.
Typical mistakes when usingcar air conditioning
1. Turn on AC mode from the beginning.Drivers have a habit of turning on the air conditioning at full volume right from the start. If the windows are not open, the air will be filtered over and over again, which is not good for your health. Instead, open the windows and roll down the windows for a minute or two before closing them and turning on the air conditioning (AC mode).
2. Set to fresh air mode.If left in this mode for a long time, the car windows will fog up, reducing visibility and making the air in the car take longer to cool. Most cars today have an Auto mode that prevents the windows from fogging up while still keeping the air in the car cool.
3. Point the vent directly at you.Although it may feel cooler, pointing the air vents directly at you will make it harder for the air to circulate in the car. Instead, point the vents toward the ceiling to help the cool air circulate more evenly around the car.
4. Do not turn on the air conditioner early in the morning.In the fall, the early morning air is cool, but the sun will quickly heat up your car. It is advisable to turn on the air conditioning to prevent the windows from fogging up when the outside temperature starts to rise.
5. Lack of regular maintenance.Just like engine oil, tires, and brake fluid, your car's air conditioning system needs regular maintenance. Cabin air filters should be changed every 10,000 to 15,000 miles to ensure they're running efficiently.
