Death by Waiting

Intersections. Everyone's least favorite place to be at while driving. Waiting, running gas away without being in motion. A Whopping 43 percent of car crashes occur at intersections. What if you were told that there is another factor that will make you despise intersections even more?

There is scientific proof that sitting at intersections is bad for your health. How you ask? Well when your car is running, its burning gasoline, which is what comes from the back of your exhaust. This exhaust contains tiny pollutants which damage your heart, and respiratory system. Where do you think that goes when you're sitting at a red light? Nowhere. It just floats around in that area, seeping through your car's air filters, or through your window.

"Though the drivers only spent roughly 2 percent of their time at stoplights, that time accounted for about 25 percent of their total exposure to pollutants." 

This shows that even in the safety of your car, you can still breathe in these horrible toxins.

Here's some ways that you can maybe counter this: First if you have your windows down in the summer, roll them up at intersections. That may sound tedious, but what's more important? Your health or your body temperature. Second, turn off your fans and back off of the person in front of you. You shouldn't be tailgating anyway. These things can significantly reduce your chances of breathing in these toxins.

:Science News, Kate Baggaley
:Advocates of highway, and auto safety