Even the most efficient car wouldn't work in an ideal way in which its engine would produce only energy, carbon dioxide, and water. Because the fact is, cars often produce a toxic cloud of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and other harmful pollutants, which foul the air and pose a very real danger to public health. When exposed to auto exhaust, healthy people can suffer from lowered immunity, impaired cognitive function, and difficulty breathing. Infants, the elderly, and those with heart and lung ailments are particularly vulnerable.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is debilitating and potentially fatal. Smokers, those with anemia, and patients with congestive heart failure are at risk. Nitrogen oxides give smog its brownish hue. They can irritate the eyes and lungs; lower immunity to such respiratory ills as colds and bronchitis; and worsen asthma and allergy symptoms. Ground-level ozone (not that of the upper atmosphere's ozone layer), a major component of smog, is produced in abundance on hot, sunny days. It can make breathing difficult, irritate the respiratory tract, and produce coughing and chest pain. There are also microscopic particles (a fraction of the width of a human hair) that can penetrate the lungs and build up over time, causing lung infections, asthma, and chronic lung disease.
Here's how to guard against the dangers of these gases from automobile exhaust:
- Have your car's exhaust system regularly inspected for leaks by a reliable mechanic.
- Never let the car's engine run in a closed garage. Before starting your car in an attached garage, shut the door to the house.
- Even when outside, open a window when sitting in a parked car with the engine running.
- When driving in traffic, crack open your car windows even if you're running the air conditioner.
- When starting your car after a snowstorm, make sure the tailpipe is not blocked by snow.
- Become familiar with the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. They include dizziness, severe headache, fatigue, agitation, stupor, pale skin, and coma.
- If severe poisoning occurs, get the victim into fresh air immediately. Call 911 (or have someone else call) to ask for emergency medical help. If the person has no pulse and is not breathing, perform CPR (but only if you are properly trained). If the person does have a pulse but is not breathing, perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Many major cities in the United States and Canada continue to be inundated by noxious clouds of smog. The problem, in a nutshell, is too many cars. To complicate matters, light trucks, minivans, and sport utility vehicles have grown in popularity. These vehicles are allowed higher emissions because they are designed to carry heavier loads. Nonautomotive vehicles, such as lawn mowers and motorboats, also generate city smog. Research shows that mowing your lawn for an hour with a gas-powered mower creates as much pollution as driving 50 miles (80 kilometers) in your car.
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