In corona times, the car promises more security against infection than buses and trains. But is that also true?
- Your own car is currently considered one of the safest means of transport against the corona virus.
- But is it still necessary to wear a mask?
- And how many people can you take in your own car?
Your own car offers protection against infection with the corona virus. Even with a moderate cabin filter, the likelihood that pathogens get into the cockpit via the ventilation is rather low. If you still want to wear a mask, you should pay attention to your own recognizability. But what does it look like when you are sitting in a car with several people?
Corona virus: how many people are allowed to sit in a car?
According to ADAC, the distance rules also apply in vehicles . In small cars, however, it is almost impossible to really keep to them, since officially 1.5 meters must be kept. For this reason, trips in your own car should only take place with people from the same household .
The use of car sharing vehicles * represents a special case. Even if you are traveling alone with it, the steering wheel or other interior could be contaminated by viruses from the previous user.
Also interesting: Corona virus: You can hide viruses and germs at these points in the car .
Coronavirus: how likely is contagion while driving?
Viruses have little chance of getting into the vehicle in large numbers while driving . To do this, the car would have to pass through a highly concentrated cloud of viruses. Since these are usually exhaled or coughed by infected people in the case of Corona, they should rarely be found in the middle of the street. And even if they do, the airstream usually disperses them within a very short time.
In the unlikely event that one's car actually makes a highly concentrated virus Cloud, the standard helps cabin air filters . "Corona viruses usually occur in droplet clouds or aerosols," says Anders Lövfendahl, filter expert at the automobile manufacturer Volvo. Their diameter is at least 5 micrometers - which would also have no problems with standard filters. This has not yet been proven in experiments, he admits.
In this regard, only so-called HEPA filters , such as those used in operating theaters, offer maximum safety . In theory, at least, these can also remove viruses in pure form from the air. This also applies to the corona virus, which is extraordinarily tiny, as Martin Klein, head of the filter division at the supplier Mann + Hummel knows: "Compared to a fine dust particle, the size ratio of this new virus corresponds to that of a marble to a pumpkin." Nevertheless, the extremely dense fleece of the HEPA filter represents a barely insurmountable obstacle for the pathogens. The problem : The technology is currently only available in Tesla * electric cars, it should only be available in models from other manufacturers in the coming months and Years.
Read also: Can I take a spin by car and motorcycle? What works and what doesn't .
Mouthguards in the car: you have to consider that
Anyone who fears contagion can therefore use a mouth guard * at the wheel. In this case, however, drivers should make sure that the essential facial features remain recognizable . According to the ADAC, this should not be a problem with commercially available masks, since the face can usually still be recognized. With self-made masks, however, it can happen that they cover the face too much.
As a rule, the police should turn a blind eye to those who are unlucky, but pay a fine . If an administrative offense is committed with a mouthguard, the normal fine procedure is ongoing; if the driver cannot be identified, the keeper is at risk of having to write a log book. According to the ADAC, the regulation of the law cannot simply be overturned, but the fine authorities are currently handling such cases more generously.
Holger Holzer / SP-X
Also interesting: car insurance: drivers can get money back because of Corona .
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* tz.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
