Vehicle Fire Safety

Shockingly, everyday in the UK around 300 cars go up in flames, this equates to roughly 100,000 catching fire every year with 24 of these resulting in fatalities in 2018/2019 (GOV.UK). Although this sounds like a relatively low number, two lives a month were taken due to fires in vehicles - a number that can be reduced.

Knowing how to prevent vehicle fires and what to do should one occur can help to drastically reduce the significant number above. With 7,152 cars accidentally setting on fire in 2018/2019, knowing how to lower this number can save lives, prevent traffic hold ups and reduce the cost to fire and rescue services.

Vehicle fires can be caused for a number of reasons with factors including crashes, deliberate arson, cigarettes being left in cars, vandalism and poor electrical wiring, addressing factors that could increase the risk of a vehicle fire can be a huge help. A great way to prevent vandalism or arson is to keep your car stored safely when at work or overnight. Keeping it in a garage, near CCTV or on safer street can reduce the risk of any wrongdoing occurring.

With over 6,000 deliberate car fires last year, of course, purposeful vehicle fires are hard to predict however, there are other steps that you can follow to ensure vehicle fires are not caused due to other factors. Having your car serviced every year, routinely checking fuel lines and looking for any undue electrical ware can help you stop any warning signs before a fire may happen. It is important to remember that any vehicle electrical wiring should be done by a professional, doing it yourself could only make matters worse.

Abiding by safe car habits can also make a huge difference when it comes to reducing vehicle fires. Adopting rules such as never storing flammable liquids in your car and keeping it clutter free can help reduce the risk of a fire. Stopping smoking in the car is also a great way to prevent vehicle fires as this removes the fear of cigarette remnants blowing back in the car and setting alight once you leave.

If a fire does occur, it is always a good to know that you have fire prevention steps in place to help reduce the spread of flames and minimise damage. Always carrying a fire blanket and fire extinguisher in your vehicle means that should a fire happen whilst you are on the road, you can attempt to combat the flames. You should note, always call the fire and rescue services as a first resort and only attempt to put the flames out if you feel that it is safe to do so. If you do consider carrying a fire extinguisher in your car, make sure it is dry powder or foam and never use a water extinguisher.

The spread of a fire can happen very quickly, not least in a vehicle which is why practising vehicle fire safety is so important. So, always park in a safe spot, maintain your vehicle checks, don’t carry flammable substances and have a safety procedure in place such as a fire extinguisher. With this, it is also worth noting that it is a great idea to always have a charged phone when making car journeys particularly if they are long, that way if you do encounter an emergency, you can contact the right people straight away.