Important: What To Avoid If Your Car Catches Fire in Oklahoma

Are car fires becoming more common these days, or is it just me? In the last few days, we've seen a few incidents from all over the country, including in Oklahoma City. Heck, even on my way to Lawton this morning, I witnessed a burnt car off on the side of I-44. Should this ever happen to you, would you know what to do? Or, more importantly, what not to do?

How Often Are Car Fires Happening?

Although the internet says that car fires are rare, Oklahoma has seen a more than just a few cases within the last few years. Just this morning, an Oklahoma City family escaped a house fire started by their car, parked in the garage.

We've even seen some unfortunate accidents happen due to cars catching fire, like in March of this year when a man lost his life because of the flames.

Earlier this year, Oklahoma City police also lost 2 police vehicles due to a fire started from the car's hot parts coming in contact with dead grass.

Still, these few cases are supposedly nothing compared to the 300,000 that burn, on average, each year throughout the country.

Why Do They Start?

According to How Stuff Works, the main causes of a car fire are:

1. Fuel system leaks
2. Electrical System Failures
3. Spilled Fluids
4. Overheating Engines
5. Overheating Catalytic Converters
6. Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Batteries
7. Arson
8. Car Crashes
9. Poor Maintenance
10. Design Flaws

What Should You Do When Your Car Catches Fire? 

Obviously, when you see smoke coming from the hood or any other part of the vehicle, you should pull over if you're driving. There a few key things you should immediately do:

• Turn the engine off
• Get everyone out of the vehicle
• Find your fire extinguisher (if you have one)

If your car is on fire parked somewhere, it's important to stand back away from the vehicle and call 911 immediately.

Take a look at the gallery below for the things you should avoid doing if you see your car on fire.