The high temperatures typical of summer force drivers to take measures to prevent the effects of heat behind the wheel. Programming the air conditioner to obtain a comfortable temperature in the passenger compartment, which the DGT places at around 21-23 degrees, is one of the most recommended premises to ensure driving safety. On the hottest days it is also advisable to wear comfortable and light clothing to facilitate perspiration, as well as planning trips in the coolest hours to avoid the hours of greatest solar radiation.
Beyond taking these considerations into account, many drivers usually have a bottle of water on hand to hydrate during the trip. However, it should be remembered that, despite being a very common practice, carrying a loose bottle in the passenger compartment represents a potential risk. In the event of a sudden maneuver or an accident, these bottles can become dangerous objects that endanger the lives of the occupants and other road users.
The DGT refers to the elephant effect to describe the repercussions that arise when a passenger traveling in the rear seats does not wear a seat belt and is thrown forward due to braking or an accident. This same situation can be applied to all kinds of loose objects in the passenger compartment. Without going any further, a bottle of water, which can also become a projectile in the face of a sudden maneuver.
Tráfico explains that, in motion, an object can multiply between 55 and 60 times the value of its mass. This means that, faced with sudden braking at 60 km/h, a bottle weighing one kilogram would have a force equivalent to 60 kilograms. To avoid this dangerous situation, it is recommended to carry the water containers in compartments, coasters or in the glove compartment of the car to prevent them from moving.
By securing the water bottles that we transport in the car, we will also be able to avoid the possibility of them falling in the area where the driver puts his feet. In the worst case they could get under the bottom bracket and block the clutch, brake or accelerator pedal, which could cause a crash by interfering with driving.
It is always advisable to stop in a safe place to drink water or perform any other action that may distract you from driving. Despite this, it is very common to see drivers drinking or eating at the wheel, an action that, although it is not classified in traffic regulations, can be punishable when the agent considers that road safety is endangered.
In fact, the person who drinks or eats while driving frees one hand from the wheel to carry out the action and could be violating article 18.1 of the highway code, which determines that “the driver of a vehicle is obliged to maintain his own freedom of movements”.
As unlikely as it may seem, leaving a full bottle of water in the passenger compartment of a parked car for hours in the sun can cause a fire. When the magnifying effect generated when sunlight is focused through a lens or transparent surface is concentrated in one point, generating heat, it can trigger combustion.
“Although many people believe that the magnifying effect is only produced through glass, it is also achieved through plastic. In fact, many commercial magnifying glasses are made of plastic”, comments Xavier Giménez, professor of Environmental Chemistry at the University of Barcelona (UB).
“The magnifying glass effect is achieved through a convex lens, which amplifies objects on one side and concentrates the rays on the other. The water contained in a bottle, whether plastic or glass, helps to create convexity, thus increasing the magnifying effect and the risk of causing a fire”, adds Giménez.
“If the focal point of the bottle is concentrated on dry organic matter, it can cause a fire, regardless of whether the container is plastic or glass, as I said before,” concludes the university professor.