As we all might know, properly functioning air conditioners do more than merely reducing our car’s inner cabin temperature. These devices offer substantial protection of car occupants by supplying better purified air. This is as a result of the different filtration processes draught air from the environment undergoes before being conditioned to desired temperatures. These processes ideally prevent pollen grains and dust from finding their way right into our cars via the air vents. Hence it’s safe to say most occupants of air-conditioned cars breathe in cleaner air, which has favourable health benefits.

In highly humid and tropical regions like Nigeria with intense sunlight, these HVAC (heat ventilation and air conditioning) devices offer comfort by maintaining favourably low temperatures relative to our average environment’s temperature. During very common cases of intense sunlight (which have indeed worsened lately), air conditioners provide a safe haven for car occupants. This even goes a very long way in reducing levels of driving induced stress by relaxing our nerves and muscles.
There equally have been a number of speculations that car cabin components like dashboard, sofa, and air-fresheners emit benzene (a cancer causing toxin) when a typical car is left heated up on the inside, especially, due to extended parking. If these findings are near factual, measures should be taken because according to WHO (World health Organization), no level of carcinogen is safe for the human body. This is why it is advisable to park your vehicle in areas that are preferably cool and safe. But if that isn’t an option, power on your A/C with your windows down for at least 5minutes before you wind up completely after re-entering your vehicle (after parking it for sometime). Asides the favourable health effects, this process purges built up heat very quickly, which then makes your air-conditioning more effective. For extended parking, you might consider using wind-shield protectors (mostly made of aluminium foils) to reduce penetration of sunlight into your car interior.


Clean car interior and frequent cleaning of dashboards and other areas of your car can really help in making your air-conditioner use, less of a health hazard. For older air-conditioning systems with compressors which are directly driven by car engines, the associated effect is higher fuel consumption (which is relative) and hence more emission to the environment. This creates a ripple effect on the environment which somehow, still affects you directly or indirectly.

On a last note, discretion is the key. Hence, alternate the use of air conditioners to favour both you and the environment. If it gets too cold, turn it off. Personally, after any rainfall, you can’t catch me in an air-conditioned car; unless there are still road splashes to contend with. The fact I am pointing out here is that your health is in your hands, guard it well!
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