Final answer:
Smoking inside a closed vehicle significantly increases the carbon monoxide levels inside, which is hazardous to health. Secondhand smoke contributes to the heightened risk of CO exposure, leading to potential symptoms like headaches and dizziness, and in extreme cases, death. It's essential to avoid smoking inside vehicles to protect the occupants from elevated CO levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Smoking inside a closed vehicle raises the carbon monoxide level in the vehicle's interior. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that can be harmful when inhaled in large amounts. It is emitted from the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, such as tobacco in this instance, and can lead to health effects like headaches, dizziness, and at high levels, unconsciousness or even death.
Secondhand smoke, which contains carbon monoxide among its more than 7,000 substances, can significantly increase CO levels inside enclosed spaces like vehicles. Indoor environments can have higher levels of pollutants like CO compared to the outdoors, and being in a closed vehicle with someone smoking can lead to CO concentrations that exceed safe levels, posing a severe health risk to the occupants.
Vehicles can be equipped with catalytic converters to reduce emissions of CO, but these do not prevent CO from secondhand smoke accumulating inside the car. The best way to protect passengers from elevated levels of carbon monoxide in vehicles is to avoid smoking inside them entirely. Additionally, one can use a carbon monoxide detector to monitor CO levels, ensuring a safer breathing environment inside the vehicle.