Vehicle Fire Facts

• In 2014, U.S. fire departments responded to more than four million incidents on roadways.

• Mechanical or electrical failures cause more than two-thirds (71 percent) of highway vehicle fires, and 66 percent begin in the engine, running gear or wheel area.

• According to consumer affairs websites, many automobile owners who experienced mechanical-related vehicle fires initially smelled a strange odor then witnessed smoke filtering from under the hood or wheel area.

• Once flames occur in the engine, it takes an average of four minutes for the fire to reach the passenger compartment, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average one-way commute time in the U.S. is 26.1 minutes. That equals almost nine days a year spent in the car, not counting road trips or vacations.

• All commercial vehicles must have at least one UL-rated 5-B:C extinguisher, or a 10- B:C unit if carrying hazardous materials. Passenger cars do not need to carry fire extinguishers, yet automobiles are involved in 12 times as many fires as commercial freight trucks and result in larger numbers of casualties and a larger dollar loss.

Vehicle Fire Safety Tips

• Make sure that everyone has exited the vehicle.

• Notify the fire department before attempting to extinguish the fire.

• Use your extinguisher only to keep a small, smoldering, contained fire from growing or to create a safe pathway from the vehicle.

• Read the instructions and become familiar with your fire extinguisher’s parts and operation BEFORE a fire breaks out.

Remember the “PASS” system:

• Pull the pin. Hold unit upright.

• Aim at the base of the fire.

• Squeeze lever.

• Sweep from side to side.

_{Sources: National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and Department of Transportation (DOT)}