As summer fades, many truck drivers have become less vigilant about safety, especially regarding vehicle fire prevention. Many drivers believe that high temperatures in the summer are the peak season for truck fires, so they relax their vigilance in autumn and winter, unaware that this creates significant safety hazards.
In fact, vehicle fires are not exclusive to summer. In autumn and winter, with less rainfall and lower humidity, these safety hazards also require high vigilance and cannot be taken lightly!
01 Truck Fire Prevention
1. Carefully Check for Smoke Signs
Whether it’s noticeable thick smoke coming from the engine hood gaps or around the dashboard, or the water temperature warning light illuminating on the dashboard, these are all warning signs that a truck is about to catch fire. While driving, drivers should also constantly check the rearview mirror for smoke coming from the cargo box, tires, and other components. If blue or black smoke is detected, the driver must immediately evacuate to a safe area.
2. Look for Burning Odors
Usually, the most common cause of truck fires is tire lock-up, which causes friction and ignition. Therefore, if a driver smells a pungent odor similar to burning damaged leather or rubber while driving, they should immediately pull over and conduct a thorough inspection of the vehicle.
3. Remove flammable and explosive items from the vehicle.
Although it is autumn and winter, the temperature inside the cab can still be quite high under direct sunlight. Drivers should avoid leaving flammable and explosive items such as perfumes, insecticides, air fresheners, and lighters in the vehicle. If they must be stored, they should be placed in a location that is not exposed to direct sunlight. When parking, avoid high-risk areas such as gas stations and CNG stations.
4. Check the vehicle’s electrical system.
Older trucks over six years old are prone to aging wiring. Electrical connections and other parts are highly susceptible to sparks, and a short circuit could ignite a fire directly inside the cab, posing a serious threat to the driver’s life. Therefore, drivers must allow extra time before driving to carefully check the truck’s electrical system for any obvious breaks, exposed copper wires, or other problems.
02 Truck Fire Self-Rescue Guide
Many drivers, after calling for roadside assistance, are unwilling to watch their vehicles continue to burn. So how can they take proactive and effective self-rescue measures?
1. Calmly Assess the Danger Level
When the engine catches fire and emits smoke, first touch the engine hood with the back of your hand to feel its temperature. If the temperature is too high and it feels hot to the touch, do not open the hood immediately—opening the hood is equivalent to supplying oxygen to the fire, and the hot burning fuel, upon contact with oxygen, may potentially cause an explosion.
2. Cool Down with Water
If the engine temperature is too high, you can pour a suitable amount of water to cool it down. You can also soak thick clothing and cover the engine to achieve slow cooling.
3. Master the Proper Use of a Fire Extinguisher
When using a fire extinguisher, aim it at the vehicle’s fuel tank or the burning component to extinguish the fire through localized cooling and prevent explosion. When operating, begin spraying from approximately 5 to 7 meters away from the fire, and stop when you reach 1 to 3 meters.
4. Turn off the engine and move away from the vehicle
If flames or black smoke are detected in the cab of a truck while it is in motion, you must immediately pull over, turn off the engine, and evacuate quickly to avoid being affected by the fire. Turning off the vehicle’s power supply can quickly cut off the fuel pump’s operation, reducing fuel consumption and thus mitigating the driver’s financial losses to some extent.
03 Truck Fire Self-Protection Tips
Upon discovering a truck fire, the driver must not act impulsively. They should immediately call the fire department. If there are seriously injured individuals at the scene, they should also call emergency services immediately to quickly eliminate safety hazards and treat the injured.
If the fire is too large for a fire extinguisher to control, use roadside sand to smother the fire. If the truck catches fire at a gas station or other special location, or if the fire is beyond the driver’s ability to handle, the driver must not act rashly. They should immediately call the fire department for professional assistance.
If a fire breaks out during refueling, refueling should be stopped immediately. If conditions permit, the vehicle should be moved away from the gas station area to avoid explosions or other accidents that could cause mass casualties. Drivers must cultivate the habit of checking their vehicles before each trip and regularly maintaining them to minimize the risk of truck fires.
