Don’t keep these items in your car

For many of us, our cars are like second homes. We use them to get from A to B but also as our grocery cart, a warm waiting area during kids’ winter sports matches, as casual restaurants, and occasionally as changerooms or baby change areas.

This means that along with the people we love, our cars can hold other items important to us, or which find themselves temporarily in our boots or main cabin while in transit.

However, the chances are, whatever these items are, they’re probably not great to have inside your car and may increase the risk of injury or damage (to your vehicle or to the item itself).

Firstly, some items, specifically loose items, can be super dangerous for passengers and your car if braking suddenly or involved in a crash.

According to the National Road Safety, Partnership Program, a one-litre water bottle full of water can impact occupants with the same force as a 20kg object in a crash. For a laptop, the force will be the equivalent of a 60kg object.

Given the damage that everyday items like this could cause with a force like this behind them, it is important to transport items in your boot, or if in an SUV with a cargo barrier, tie the item down behind it.

But it’s not just passenger and driver safety that can be put on the line by having loose items housed in your car says RACV ‘s Head of Policy, James Williams; there are a range of other risks too.

“Risks associated with keeping certain items in your vehicle include the possibility of high interior temperatures leading to items becoming spoilt and ineffective, or damaging the item’s physical integrity, as well as the increased risk of theft.”

Motor vehicle theft is on the rise in Victoria with 16,766 cars stolen in the year ending June 30, 2023, according to Crime Statistics Victoria, an increase of 27 per cent from the previous year.

Given this statistic, regardless of where you’re driving, this issue is one to keep in mind.

One of the most common reasons behind car break-ins and theft is leaving valuables in plain sight with tablets, mobile phones, and trade tools listed as some of the most frequently stolen items from cars.

“Wallets and handbags, while not dangerous to have in a vehicle, can present an opportunity for thieves to break into a vehicle,” Williams says.

And it's not just the loss of the item that can prove detrimental, it can also result in damage to the external and often interior of the vehicle, as well as the potential loss of monies and even identification says Williams.

Another reason to avoid keeping certain items in your vehicle is to prevent them from becoming damaged, spoilt, or ineffective.

Products ranging from sunscreen to medicine can become less effective, damaged, and even completely ineffective if left in the car due to fluctuating temperatures.

According to the RACV, many medicines specify being stored at room temperature, while sunscreen reduces in effectiveness when in the heat for a prolonged period.

The integrity and effectiveness of products like glasses, sunglasses and electronic devices can also be impacted by hot or cold temperatures, so it is wise to take them inside as soon as you’ve reached your destination.

Finally, cans or bottles that carry flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive warnings, should also spend limited time inside your car.

“While no specific classification exists referring to not keeping items in a vehicle, motorists should pay attention to the warning classifications provided on items, particularly bottles and cans which infer that an item is flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive,” says Williams.

Some of these items, Williams says, include deodorants, air fresheners, hairspray, spray paints and other aerosol cans as the temperature increases, the pressure inside the can does too, running the risk of the can exploding and injuring someone, or ruining your car's interior. Their contents are also highly flammable.