Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas which can be fatal. With no warning signs, it can enter your home and cause sleepiness as well as fatalities, so taking precautions is important. Cars are a major source of carbon monoxide and unfortunately, with our homes being more tightly sealed to ensure energy efficiency, carbon monoxide risks can occur in many homes.
You can keep yourself and your family safe by:
- Getting carbon monoxide detectors. Place detectors outside the bedrooms and near the garage to ensure you are alerted if levels in your home rise to unsafe levels. If your detectors ever go off, get everyone outside, just like for a fire alarm, and call the fire department to get your home checked.
- Ensuring your children don’t play near cars. The exhaust from cars can harm them, and playing near cars also puts children at risk of rollover accidents.
- Keeping your cars locked when they’re not in use. Keep keys in a safe location, too, to prevent children from climbing into the car and starting the engine, which can fill the car with dangerous carbon monoxide, especially if the car is in the garage.
- Checking your tailpipe. If your tailpipe gets clogged with sand, leaves, or other debris, carbon monoxide can get into the passenger area of your car, putting the driver and all passengers at risk.
- Never idling. Never leave the car idling, especially in a garage. Even with the doors open, you could produce enough carbon monoxide to create a danger. Only start your car when you are inside it and ready to drive. If you use a keyless ignition system, make sure the engine is correctly turned off each time you park.
If you or a member of your family have been injured by carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a mechanical defect or any other instance of negligence, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with a Hollywood and South Florida personal injury attorney.