Although sitting in a running car outside is bad, it cannot be fully avoided, at one point or another, there may be a reason for a person to sit in a running car.
Various health conditions have been attributed to sitting in a running car outside but can it lead to death? Can you die from sitting in a running car outside?
Yes, you can die from sitting in a running car outside if there is not enough oxygen coming into the car. Whether the car’s window is rolled down or not, constant inhaling of carbon monoxide from the car’s exhaust pipe can lead to death.
Should You Sit in a Running Car Outside?
No, you shouldn’t sit in a running car outside.
Sitting in a running car can be done for various reasons, for some, it could be because they are waiting for someone and don’t want to kill the engine.
It can also be a way to heat up the car before driving especially if the vehicle is being loaded up, or the driver is on the phone, eating, etc. Whatever the reason is, it is not advisable to sit in a running car.
A running car also known as an ‘Idling car’ is when a car is parked but the engine is running. Other than the fuel that is being consumed when a car is running, it is not safe for the people in the car.
If you must allow the car to run for some time, do not sit inside. Staying outside the car is a better option.
A large number of deaths has been attributed to sitting in the car, this may sound unreal but it is the truth. A whole lot goes on when a car engine is running whether the car is being driven or idle which could result in so many irreversible consequences.
Can You Die from Sitting in a Running Car Outside?
Yes, you can die from sitting in a running car with the possibility higher if the car is locked.
When a car is running with the doors and windows locked, there will be no natural air in circulation except the air from the AC.
The chances of someone dying from sitting in a running car are higher with the car locked because the easiest way for toxic gas (carbon monoxide) to get inside the car is through the AC.
The common cause of death when a person is sitting in a running car is Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. There is no way you will sit in a car with its doors and windows closed and won’t inhale carbon monoxide despite the AC being on.
Over the years, there have been many records of death as a result of sitting in a running car. Whether a car is stationary or being driven carbon monoxide is produced and it can get inside the car one way or another.
Reasons Not to Sit in a Running Car Outside
Here are the reasons why you shouldn’t sit in a running car outside:
1. It Could Result in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
One of the reasons why you shouldn’t sit in a running car is that it could result in carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is the toxic gas produced when internal combustion takes place in the engine, usually this gas is passed out of the car through the exhaust pipe, but unfortunately, due to some reasons, it still finds its way inside the car.
A person sitting in the car can inhale carbon monoxide to the point where it is considered poisoning.
2. It is Hazardous to the Health
Sitting in a running car outside especially for an extended period of time is hazardous to the human health of both children and adults.
There are various health conditions such as; lung diseases, asthma, etc., that may arise by just sitting in a running car although doing so may seem harmless.
Children are usually the most affected in situations like this because their lungs are still sensitive and they are said to breathe 50% more than adults do
3. It Could Lead to Death
This may seem extreme but it can happen. If other reasons to not sit in a running car aren’t convincing enough to you, this one should.
Sitting in a running car outside could lead to a person’s death. Carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to death.
When a person inhales the gas, it combines with hemoglobin and goes inside the lung, it makes breathing difficult, leading to seizures and eventually death if action is not taken immediately.
4. It Could Worsen Health Conditions
Another reason why you shouldn’t sit in a running car outside is the possibility of it worsening a health condition. Health conditions such as asthma can be worsened by inhaling carbon monoxide.
How Does Sitting in a Stationary Running Car Kill Someone?
It is because of carbon monoxide. As reiterated earlier, sitting in a running car outside may expose you to carbon monoxide which can kill you.
A car engine produces toxic gases known as carbon monoxide as a result of the internal combustion. When a car is running, this gas is not let out of the car completely and can find its way undetected inside the car’s interior.
The easiest way for carbon monoxide to get inside a car is when the AC is on, a person may think you can stay in the car while the car is running and the AC on when in actual fact you are silently killing yourself.
Carbon monoxide when inhaled combines with hemoglobin and goes straight to the lungs making it difficult for the lungs to function well.
With carbon monoxide inhaled, carboxyhemoglobin is formed which reduces the flow of oxygen to the body. Reduction in the flow of oxygen to the body will cause seizures and could lead to death eventually.
Some people are of the opinion that sitting in a running car will kill someone only if the car is parked in an enclosed space like the garage because there is no air in circulation.
This is not completely true; it is possible for someone to die even when the car is parked in the open. For this to happen, the person was probably in the car for a long period of time.
Conclusion
The possibility of dying from sitting in a running car shouldn’t be overlooked rather than doing so one should at all costs find a way to shorten the time spent sitting in a running car if it cannot altogether be avoided.