After writing about the causes of vehicle fires, we heard from readers who felt that a vehicle fire was unlikely to happen to them. We wanted to share some numbers so drivers can make their own judgment about the risk.
One in eight fires in the United States is a highway vehicle fire, according to the National Fire Protection Association. During the early 2000s, 33 vehicle fires were reported every hour across the country. Between 2002 and 2005, approximately one person died per day as a result of a car fire.
Between 2014 and 2016, the most recent multi-year period for which the NFPA published averages at the time we last updated this post, there were an average of 171,500 vehicle fires reported annually in the US. Those fires resulted in 345 deaths, 1,300 injuries, and accounted for 13 percent of all reported fires.
The numbers that matter most
The statistic that stands out: 75 percent of highway vehicle fires are caused by mechanical failure or malfunction, not collisions. Vehicle fires that do result from collisions are responsible for a disproportionately high share of deaths, but the majority of fires are not accident-related.
That means most vehicle fires are preventable.
Fluid leaks are the primary culprit. Oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and fuel can all ignite when they come into contact with hot engine or exhaust components. Damaged or exposed wiring can produce sparks that ignite an available accelerant. Neither of those requires an accident. They are maintenance issues.
Young drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in a vehicle fire incident, according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System, with young males at higher risk than young females.
What to watch for
If your vehicle is smoking, overheating, or smells hot, do not wait to see what happens. Pull over, turn off the engine, get everyone out of the vehicle, and stay well away from it. Do not open the hood if there is smoke coming from it. The oxygen will intensify the fire. Call 911.
Regular inspection is the practical response to these numbers. Having a trusted shop look over your vehicle twice a year, especially for fluid leaks and wiring condition, puts you in the 25 percent of vehicle fires that were not caused by a mechanical failure that could have been found and fixed. Happy motoring.