written by Mark Sneller, PhD |  

If you’re planning to travel by car this summer, here are some suggestions to ensure that your car doesn’t affect your health adversely. One important goal is to prevent chemicals from leaking into the vehicle. Plus, a car that runs well is less prone to breakdowns. Now isn’t that a good way to keep your stress down?

• Steam clean the engine periodically. The smell of hot grease and oil under the hood have a tendency to enter the vehicle.
• Check the caps on the radiator, brake fluid, and gas tank for tight sealing and replace them if necessary. Improperly sealed caps permit hot gases and volatile liquids to escape into the car’s interior.
• Ensure that the air filter is clean. This will allow fresh air to enter into the engine and result in more efficient gas combustion and better fuel economy.
• Keep track of your mileage to determine if your car needs a tune-up. Write down the number of miles the next time you fill up. Divide the total number of miles traveled by the number of gallons it takes to fill the tank. (You don’t have to use an entire tank’s worth to check the mileage; half a tank will do. Just make sure to fill the tank each time.) If the mileage begins to decrease, consider bringing the car in for a tune-up.
• Inspect the entire exhaust system for leaks. This includes areas around the muffler, as exhaust fumes will enter the car from there.
• If you plan to carry solvents and cleaners in the vehicle, make sure that they are tightly sealed.
• During spring or early summer, driving with the windows down in an area of heavy tree density will allow high levels of pollen to enter the car. Keep the windows up and set the airflow to “recycle.” When the AC is on, or when the vents are open and the windows closed, passengers are only exposed to a small percent of the outdoor aeroallergen particle load. Exposure is much higher for both front and rear passengers when the windows are open.
• If you are shopping for a...