What to do if your car catches fire

A burning car can trap the people inside it quickly, so the steps are about getting out, not saving the car. U.S. fire departments responded to an average of about 215,000 vehicle fires a year from 2018 to 2022. Those fires killed about 643 people a year. Only fires in one- and two-family homes killed more.

What you need

• A phone to call 911

Steps

1. 1

   Pull over

   Pull over as quickly as you safely can.

   1 min

2. 2

   Turn off the engine

   Do it as soon as the car stops.

   1 min

3. 3

   Get everyone out

   Help out children and anyone else who needs it. Leave bags and belongings behind, and never go back into a burning car for anything.

   1 min

4. 4

   Leave the hood and trunk shut

   If you think the fire is under the hood or in the trunk, don't open it. Opening it can make the fire grow. Don't try to fight the fire yourself.

   1 min

5. 5

   Move at least 100 feet away

   Take everyone at least 100 feet from the car, and well away from traffic.

   1 min

6. 6

   Call 911

   Call once everyone is clear of the car.

   2 min

Where car fires start

Most vehicle fires begin in the engine area, the running gear or a wheel. A mechanical failure or malfunction is the most common cause. What most often catches fire first is the insulation on electrical wiring, or a flammable liquid or gas in or from the engine. Fires that start with a flammable liquid or gas are the deadliest, with about half of all deaths.

Age matters too. About three-quarters of the 2022 highway vehicle fires caused by a mechanical or electrical failure involved model years 2011 or earlier. As a car gets older, parts wear out and maintenance is easier to let slide. Crashes are the other big cause: a collision or rollover was the factor in 47% of passenger car fire deaths.

Lowering the chance of a fire

• Have the car serviced regularly by a trained mechanic.
• Keep gas cans and propane tanks away from passengers. Seal them tightly and set them on a flat surface so they stay upright.
• If a gas can or propane tank has to ride inside the car, keep the windows open so fumes can't build up.
• Drive safely. Crashes start car fires too.