The cost of having a car

What’s coming out of your exhaust?

CO

Carbon Monoxide attaches to red corpuscles in your blood causing:

• respiratory problems
• cardiac problems
• headaches
• dizziness
• nausea
• problems with vision

NOx

Nitrogen Oxides:

• irritate the bronchial tubes
• lower immune defences
• increase the frequency of asthma attacks
• encourage pulmonary infections in children

HC

Hydrocarbons:

• irritate the bronchial tubes and eyes
• have a carcinogenic effect

Pb

Lead Compounds:
Can cause major neurological effects e.g.

• lead poisoning
• growth problems
• anaemia
• kidney failure

However, thanks to the use unleaded petrol, levels have reduced.

Benzene

This is:

• carcinogenic
• has a depressive effect on the central nervous system

Particles

Theses transport other hydrocarbon pollutants into the lungs and nasal membranes. They are particularly dangerous for people with asthma and heart problems.

O3

Tropospheric ozone:

• very irritant gas
• alters respiratory function
• irritates the eyes, chest and lungs, especially in children
• aggravates asthma and heart disease

You and your car

• Your shortest journeys are the most damaging to the environment and people's health. Short journeys significantly reduce the life of your engine and catalytic converter.
• Your first kilometre produces 60% more fumes.
• Your engine wear is higher on short journeys as your car's lubricants have not reached their optimum temperature.
• Catalytic converters are not under five miles. When travelling over five miles they help to cut emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides, but they don't cut emissions of carbon dioxide. They are only guaranteed for your cars first 50,000 miles.

You can avoid driving

You can use local services, or order goods over the phone or internet.
You can walk or cycle. It’ll keep you fit and save you money.

• You also save time: Try timing your trip to the supermarket and compare to a trip to the local shops for the same goods.
• Support local companies: By shopping locally, you can reduce your family's impact on the environment (by not contributing to the air pollution on Shropshire's roads), and support the local economy. Many local shops also use local suppliers, so you be supporting even more Shropshire businesses, and reduce the number of heavy lorries on the UK's roads.

On average we each make 19 trips by car every week. You can really benefit from leaving your car at home for once or twice a week.

Be car-free

If you drive under 6,000 miles a year it could be cheaper to sell your car (no depreciation, no road tax, no insurance, no fuel, and no car loan costs) and travel by taxi instead!

Follow the link on this page and visit the travel calculator website to add up the true costs of running a car.

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