WHY CARS BURN

A vehicle in flames. A vehicle in flames.

If you have been wondering why cars are going up in flames lately, wonder no more as according to experts, you can prevent it from happening to your car.

Nairobi News sought an explanation on these occurrences that have left many motorists puzzled from Toyotsu Automart Kenya, a second-hand car dealer that conducts thorough checks on vehicles before import.

According to the Toyotsu Managing Director Daisuke Toyooka, car fires are majorly caused by fuel leaks or short circuit of the battery, the battery terminal or electric wires of the vehicle.

Waste clothe used during maintenance, that is often stained with fuel, can also cause a fire if accidentally left under the bonnet.

Knowing the entire motor vehicle dynamics is hard, but arming yourself with information about the key components can be helpful.

“There are so many electric items in a car, but drivers can at least check if the battery terminal is fixed on the battery properly, if there is a caution lamp on the dashboard as well as avoiding entrusting your car to an untrained technician,” Toyooka San told Nairobi News during the interview.

HIGH-SPEED LIMITS

On Sunday, two top range vehicles were reported to have gone up in flames along the Thika Superhighway adding to earlier incidents that have been reported this year on the same road.

So why have all these incidents been reported on Thika Superhighway? Does it have anything to do with the road? According to experts, the high-speed limits on the superhighway makes all car components to heat up much faster hence increasing the fire risk in case of any pre-existing faults.

Care should also be taken when taking a car for maintenance to ensure it is handled by professionals as, according to Toyooka San, any car has the potential of bursting into flames due to the combination of fuel and spark from electrical parts.

“Pre-inspection check before purchasing vehicle ensures that your vehicle undergoes close scrutiny before purchase.

Regular service maintenance preferably after every 5000km also lowers the risks of having your car go up in flames as any faults are detected.

But in case of a fire accident, immediately stop the car safely and turn off the engine then get every person out of the car and move a distance from the burning vehicle.

Alert everyone around you including fellow motorists and contact the fire brigade even as you use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.