Is It Dangerous to Keep a Lighter in the Car?
3 Answers
Keeping a lighter in the car is dangerous because lighters contain pressurized gas. If placed on the dashboard or console, they are easily exposed to direct sunlight. After prolonged exposure, the gas inside the lighter expands continuously. Once it reaches a critical point, it can explode, causing severe damage to the vehicle. Here are other items that should not be left in the car: Perfume: The main components of perfume are fragrance, alcohol, and water, with alcohol content ranging from 40% to 80%. In a confined and poorly ventilated car, a small bottle of perfume can become a "time bomb" under specific conditions. Additionally, perfume bottles made of crystal or glass can act like magnifying lenses under direct sunlight, focusing light onto flammable items and posing a significant hazard. Reading glasses: If left on the dashboard shelf, they can pose a safety risk. Reading glasses are convex lenses that focus light. Prolonged focusing can raise the temperature at the focal point, potentially damaging plastic interior panels or even causing the car to catch fire. Aerosol cans: Items like hairspray, shaving foam, insecticide, and air fresheners rely on high internal pressure to spray the liquid. These cans also contain flammable substances, making them even more hazardous if exposed to sunlight in the car. Carbonated drinks: During summer, the temperature inside a car can rise significantly. Carbonated drinks contain large amounts of carbon dioxide, which can expand and, in severe cases, rupture the bottle, causing an explosion. Bottled water: Although seemingly harmless, prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause light to enter the car through the windows and focus at the edges of the water bottle, creating temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius, which can ignite flammable items inside the car. Batteries and power banks: These items are labeled in their manuals as unsuitable for high-temperature environments. In a hot car, they are prone to explosion, especially power banks. Many substandard products on the market use fake or refurbished battery cells, increasing the risk of explosion.
As a full-time mom, I often drive my kids around, so I pay special attention to in-car safety. Keeping a lighter in the car is absolutely dangerous, especially during the hot summer months when the temperature inside the car can soar above 60 degrees Celsius. The butane gas inside the lighter can expand and rupture, potentially causing a fire or explosion. I once saw a news report about a car owner whose vehicle caught fire and was completely destroyed because of a seemingly insignificant lighter. My car never has such items, and I regularly clean out the glove compartment to ensure there are no safety hazards. I recommend parking in the shade or simply taking lighters out of the car. Additionally, storing perfumes or aerosol sprays in the car poses similar risks. These small items may seem harmless, but under high temperatures, they can become ticking time bombs—never take them lightly.
As a young person who frequently goes on road trips, I often carry a lighter for smoking, but I quickly realized that keeping it in the car was a mistake. During one trip, after the car was exposed to the scorching sun, it became as hot as a steamer, and the lighter almost exploded—fortunately, I noticed it in time. The principle is simple: high temperatures cause the internal gas to expand to its limit, and excessive pressure can lead to accidents. It’s not just lighters; other flammable items like batteries or alcohol should also be kept away from the car. I recommend developing a good habit: before parking, check the dashboard or the corners of the seats to ensure no ignition tools are left behind. If you must carry them, store them in a cool box in the trunk. Through this experience, I learned that car safety is no small matter, and preventable risks should be addressed early.
