Vehicle fires are a major problem in the United States. Electrical issues, fuel problems and mechanical failures cause huge numbers of automotive incidents every year. That’s why so many major manufacturers turn to National Firesleeve fire retardant sleeves to protect wires and pipes in their engines and chassis.
Sobering figures
To see how important the correct specification of high-quality fire-retardant sleeves are, you only have to look at the figures for vehicle fires. According to statistics from Gutnix.org, there are 350,000 vehicle fires every year worldwide, with around half of these happening right here in the United States.
One in eight of all fires in the US are vehicle fires, with around 17 vehicle fires reported every hour of every day. These fires account for a staggering 16% of all US fires and 13% of all fire related deaths.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, there were 212,500 vehicle fires in 2018, causing 1,500 injuries and resulting in 560 deaths. Together these vehicle fires cost $1.7bn in direct property damage alone, plus billions more in associated costs.
Vehicle fires cause four and a half times as many deaths as non-residential fires, and more than one and a half times the number of deaths from fires in in apartment buildings.
Improving vehicle safety
The good news is that vehicle fires, and the resulting injuries and deaths, are showing a significant decline. According to Statista, the number of vehicle fires has dropped from a peak of 459,000 in 1988 to 174,000 in 2021 as safety standards have improved.
These numbers may drop further, as we have yet to see the full impact of electric vehicles. Despite the much-publicized electric vehicle fires that happen occasionally, it’s likely that the absence of highly combustible fuel will further reduce the number of vehicle fires and associated deaths.
How Firesleeve cuts the risks
You may think of Firesleeve as an industrial product, and indeed we excel at protecting pipes and ducts, wires and conduits in even the harshest of environments. British-made Firesleeve fire retardant sleeves can keep vulnerable areas safe from even molten splashes at very high temperatures.
But it doesn’t end there. Our products are just as good at protecting engines and other areas of a vehicle on the road. With engines and exhausts operating at very high temperatures, Firesleeve fire retardant sleeves can protect wires and fuel pipes, keeping them safe even when they pass close to hot engine parts. Given that these pipes often contain highly flammable fuel, and the wires carry high voltage currents, this protection is essential in keeping cars, and more importantly their occupants, safe.
Firesleeve not only allows car makers to provide dependable protection during manufacturing, our easy-fit, flexible design means that same proven protection can be delivered by your local garage. Which means your repairs can deliver the same level of safety as your vehicle had when new.
What’s more, by fitting Firesleeve fire retardant sleeves, makers can extend the life of key components of your vehicle, reducing the need for regular repairs and replacement in the first place. This not only improves safety, but also cuts running costs and avoids frustrating downtime when your vehicle is in the shop.
Specified by the best
Firesleeve are proud to be specified by a number of leading automotive manufacturers, including: (names of manufacturers here).
To find out more about National Firesleeve fire retardant sleeves, and how they can raise safety standards in automotive manufacturing, as well as a whole host of other industries, take a look around our website or get in touch with our team today.
