NEW YORK (Reuters) -- The cold weather months see an annual rise in the number of carbon monoxide deaths tied to car exhaust, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings increase during winter months," CDC experts write, adding that "death rates from CO poisonings in stationary motor vehicles are highest in states with colder average winter temperatures."
The agency cites statistics from New Mexico over the last 15 years as an example. That state had five times the number of unintentional CO-related deaths in January compared to those in June.
The CDC note one tragic case in Colorado last month, in which 5 young men aged 17-22 were discovered dead one morning inside cars parked in a family garage. Friends and relatives say the five had been drinking and continued to party upon returning home. "In an apparent attempt to keep warm, they had entered the cars, started the engine of one car, and turned on the heat," according to the CDC report.
Carbon monoxide gas is odorless and colorless. The first signs of poisoning include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion and irritability. CO poisoning is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in the US, according to the CDC.
The CDC also tabulated 56 motor-vehicle related CO deaths in New Mexico for the years 1980-1995, saying the deaths reflect statistics nationwide. They report that "forty-three percent were caused by the combination of a faulty exhaust system and an inadequately ventilated passenger compartment, 39% by operation of a motor vehicle inside an improperly ventilated structure, and 10% by the use of a fuel-burning heating device inside an inadequately ventilated passenger compartment."
The government agency lists strategies for preventing CO poisoning, including testing vehicular emissions, inspecting exhaust systems, and avoiding unsafe practices such as operating a vehicle in an enclosed space.
But the CDC also warn that opening a window or door in a garage while running a car may not be enough to protect from CO poisoning. "Most motor-vehicle-related deaths in garages have occurred even though the garage doors or windows have been open," they say. They say 'passive ventilation' may not be enough to disperse buildup of the deadly gas.
CO detectors are available, but the CDC note that "there are no standard recommendations for their use."
"Although CO detector technology continues to evolve, detectors should not substitute for proper use, inspection, and maintenance of fuel-burning devices," concludes the CDC report.
SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (1996;45(47):1029-1031)
