Think you’re safe from pollution inside the car? It actually may be more dangerous

The findings of a recent study showed the pollution inside the cars contained twice the amount of chemicals that cause oxidative stress

If you thought driving a car on a heavily polluted road may be safe, think twice. According to a new study, car cabins contain extremely high levels of some harmful particulate matter, twice the amount previously thought. The findings showed the pollution inside the cars contained twice the amount of chemicals that cause oxidative stress, thought to be involved in the development of many diseases including respiratory and heart disease, cancer and some types of neuro-degenerative diseases.

Car cabins contain extremely high levels of some harmful particulate matter. (Shutterstock)

“We found that people are likely getting a double whammy of exposure in terms of health during rush-hour commutes,” said Michael Bergin, professor at the Duke University in North Carolina. The pollutants can cause the body to produce chemicals to deal with the reactive oxygen, while particulate matter also causes the same response.

In combination, the exposure triggers an overreaction that can be destructive to healthy cells and DNA. To explore what drivers are actually exposed to during rush hour, researchers from strapped specially designed sampling devices -- that draws in air at a similar rate to human lungs -- into the passenger seats of cars of more than 30 different cars as they completed more than 60 rush hour commutes in downtown Atlanta.

The exposure to in-car toxins triggers an overreaction that can be destructive to healthy cells and DNA.

“If these chemicals are as bad for people as many researchers believe, then commuters should seriously be rethinking their driving habits,” Bergin added.

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