New cars less safe in bushfires
January 8, 2008 by Matt Brogan
A study conducted by the NSW Rural Fire Service, in conjunction with the CSIRO and BCRC (Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre), has discovered new cars are more dangerous in a bushfire than their all metal predecessors.
Similar tests conducted in the 1960s saw occupants stand a better chance of survival when placed in similar bushfire conditions due mainly to the higher percentage of metal components on cars from that era.
Newer cars with increased glass areas and plastic body panels are less likely to provide protection to occupants trapped inside their vehicles. They are also more likely to trap occupants once the fire has passed due to plastic door handles melting in the fire’s radiant heat.
In the simulated tests, cabin temperatures rose as high as 300 degrees celsius, making survival chances slim to say the least, though the old fashioned woolen blanket over occupants could reduce heat from the exposed glass by up to 50 degrees.
Although the trials suggest newer cars are not as safe as older ones the AFAC (Australian Fire Authorities Council) has urged anyone caught in a bushfire to follow some simple procedures to maximise their chance of survival:
- Park in an open area
- Switch the engine and air conditioning off
- Stay in the vehicle
- Remain below window height
- Cover themselves with a woolen blanket
Anyone requiring further information on bushfire driving can contact the AFAC or their state’s bushfire authority.
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I guess the moral of the story is to not find yourself in a position to be caught in your car to begin with – if possible. I reckon it’d be a bloody horrible way to go.
It would be. I’m not surprised by this finding at all…makes sense.
Yeah forget about airbags maybe they should install water bombs ?
How many people keep a wool blanket in their vehicle? not many I’d guess.
I’ve been caught in a situation where a fire closed the road ahead and then behind.
It’s very spooky and very frightening. The clouds of smoke obliterate the sun, giving an eery half light, and no visibility.
If you get out of the car, the smoke is so choking you jump back in immediately so you can breathe again. Kind of like when you are around a campfire, and the wind blows the smoke into your face and follows you around, only you can’t escape.
We were lucky the fire ahead was contained and we were able to drive through to safety.
I suspect the only good thing about dying in such a situation is that you’d go quickly, suffocating before being burned.
But yeah – how meny today would even know what wool is, let alone have a woolen blanket in the car.
Lcat i think BM does !
^gee BM has all the right precautions then! LOL
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa no comment ! But seriously in a raging bush fire etc you have got no chance new or old car
i agree. doesnt matter if its a new or old car. chances are about the same if you’re trapped between fires. i think its much better to have a good condition car that can keep running in stead a 1960’s car that may breaks down.
ive never been trapped in a big fire on the highway before. but we did witness one burning on the road in front of us. and its amazing how fast it goes and jumps to the other side with no ‘connection’ of bushes etc. maybe the underground roots.
maybe they should give us one of those batman capes with fire potection.
hahaha…..funny one guys !
Seriously though it is a scary thing to see a car on fire….yep the fire dept arrived and put out the car but after running around trying to get fire extinguishers in the shopping center it was well alight {especially once he opened the bonnet{idiot!} 10 MINS into it and it was well and truly totaled with flames inside the car and over the roof!
Moral…….I now have a fire extinguisher in my car. If not to help others save my own!
XA always has had one strangely enough! Funny what we determine is more important !
I agree though big enough bush fire what can you do? We live in the Hills of Perth so bush all round us….evacuation plan…yep you had better have one! Will we save all the cars…nope! Our lives hopefully!
I’ve always carried a wool picnic rug and fire extinguisher in the boot. You just never know when you might need the rug to keep you warm in the middle of nowhere, lie down to change a tyre in a ditch or even administer first aid in an accident and help resist shock for someone.
I’d reckon in this day and age with advanced telecommunications and gps etc, most people know to stay away and unfortunate incidents such as those recently in WA are just accidents rather than an ongoing problem caused by changing manufacture of vehicles.
Surely more people die each year from dog attacks or bee stings or something that would better use valuable research dollars.
Thank God we don’t have bush fires in Blighty. Its too wet! We just snuggling under our nice woollie blankets waiting for summer.
I remember to fires round Mel a couple yrs ago. Amazing to think some are started deliberately.
How about sprinkler systems in cars!! Joking. Every Pomm thinks they’re a boffin.
I live in Perth too, and I can’t believe some of these fires are deliberatley lit. Probably the major contribution to global warming…not sure.
I wasn’t aware of the help from the wool blanket. That’s good because there is one in my car all the time, to stop the middle break light rattling….hahah
There is one thing they didnt mention which has occured before and that is never cover the woolen blanket (if you have one) with water. I was taught that in while in the SES.
You would become the first ever human steamed dim sim.
the only time i saw fire extinguishers in cars is when the guys in front of me were having road rage and threatening to beat up each other or each others cars with the fire extinguishers.