8. Diagnosis Lucky-to-be-Alive for Dick Van Dyke

Dick Van Dyke and his wife nearly didn’t survive when their car unexpectedly caught fire on a Los Angeles highway.

If not for the actions of a good Samaritan, Van Dyke might not have walked away from the ordeal.

A car is a dangerous thing. Basically, it is a metal casing containing highly explosive chemicals and an electric sparking device.

In a different context, the same description could be applied to a bomb. It is surprising that they don’t burn up more often, a fact that says something for the safety features installed by manufacturers.

Even with those, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that vehicle fires account for 20 percent of all reported fires.

A car fire is more dangerous than most others because of all the combustible things cars contain. A short circuit in the electrical system can cause a fire or explosion. So can the gas tank.

Once the blaze has started, the flammable upholstery will quickly spread it. Plastics melt and spread flame wherever they run.

It is no surprise that car fires usually have more than one cause. No matter where the fire starts, it has plenty of places to spread. This happens very quickly, so there are only a few seconds to get out. Many victims are not as lucky as Mr. and Mrs. Van Dyke. Because of the speed of the fire and the difficulty of getting out of the vehicle, many do not survive.

Regular engine check-ups can detect potential problems before they happen, avoiding disasters.