Death by Driving

Death by Driving written by: Simone Hummel illustrations by: Simone Hummel

Most Toronto drivers are aware that the Gardiner gridlock causes air pollution they are not necessarily informed of the very apparent health risks of staying behind the wheel.

With over 10 000 vehicles passing through the Gardiner daily the air toxicity levels cause immediate and long term health effects from your brain function to bone marrow. Toronto’s own Medical Office of Health also released a study stating that the common effects of car pollution are reduced lung function, lung cancer, high 14

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–MARCH 2013

blood pressure and reduced life expectancy across all ages. Driving with the window down in increases the exposure during hotter weather. If you think it can be solved by keeping the air conditioning on, know that vehicle air filtration systems do not filter out chemical particles and could actually contribute to damaged respiratory 15

An abundant chemical found in exhausts is carbon monoxide which is colourless, odourless and tasteless yet toxic to humans and animals. It reduces our body’s ability to transfer oxygen throughout our body. Large doses causes seizures, coma and suffocation. Exposure in low levels causes headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. Carbon monoxide is accumulative substance meaning prolonged car rides increase exposure and cause the common car sickness. Long term exposure to vehicle exhausts includes, but is not limited to the short term poisoning. Exhaust fumes not only debilitate our blood streams ability to absorb oxygen but the chemicals combine with our blood cells. These are carried throughout our body preventing oxygen from reaching our vital organs.

Car fumes are responsible for most vehicle sicknesses.

Heath and Wellness who will bare financial implecations of the long-term side effects on aging citizens. Toronto officials fear the financial burden of exhaust fumes. Last year 1200 children had acute bronchitis episodes and another 68000 asthma-related symptoms. Last year the health ministry of Toronto conducted a study that found car pollution reduced our lung function resulting in emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lung cancer. Last year 1200 children had acute bronchitis episodes and another 68000 asthma-related symptoms.

Dr. Yaffe warns emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lung cancer. She also warns about drivers with known health illnesses. Last year the health ministry of Toronto conducted a study that found car pollution reduced our lung function resulting in emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lung cancer. Last year 1200 children had acute bronchitis episodes and another 68000 asthma-related symptoms.

Dr. Yaffe warns emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lung cancer.

The number of cancer causing chemicals multiply in diesel fuels. Toronto Dr. Yaffe stated “Last year car exhausts were directly linked to 17 000 prenatal deaths and 6000 hospital admissions annually.” If you think it can be solved by keeping the air conditioning know that vehicle air filtration systems do not filter out car exhausts either. In fact most of the chemicals in car exhausts are odorless despite their high toxicity levels are fatal to humans and animals. The fumes cause a wide range of effects on the body with both short and long term exposur that raises concerns for Ontario’s Municipality of

The large variety of disesases inferred by car exhausts are a hefty financial burden for the Ontario Government’s Health Department to bare. Last year the health ministry of Toronto conducted a study that found car pollution reduced our lung function resulting in emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lung cancer. Toronto Doctor Heather Yaffe warns that the health implecations of Toronto fumesinclude but not limited to increased emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lung cancer. She also warns about drivers with known health illnesses that the “microscopic pollution

combine with artery-clogging fats to switch on genes that inflame the blood vessels.”

Inflamed blood vessels can lead to high blood pressure and is a known factor of cardiovascular disease. Sysem will have to bare the long-term side effectson various human bodily systems. The large variety of disesases inferred by car exhausts are a hefty financial burden for the Ontario Government’s Health Department to bare.

Last year the health ministry of Toronto conducted a study that found car pollution reduced our lung function resulting in emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lung cancer. Toronto Inflamed blood vessels can lead to high blood pressure and is a known factor of cardiovascular disease.

With driviers dependent on traveling to Toronto for work purposes it may seem as a death toll however that is not entirely the case. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is readily available to users with over 70 subway stops and countless more street car routes. The TTC is undergoing expansion of lines and operation hours with financial incentives of monthly passes and student discounts. One study found that traveling by subway greatly reduces up to 70% of exposure to vehicle exhausts.

Exhuasts deteriorate our central nervous systems.

Effects of Exhausts In 2011, Toronto’s Medical Office of Health conducted their own study on implecations of exhaust exposure.

brain: Inhaling fumes disrupts brain productivity that can cause disorientation, fatigue, headaches, and migraines.

lungs: Inhaling exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide that prevents the absorption of oxygen, slowly suffocating our organs.

heart: Particles combine with cells and inflame blood vessels, the leading cause of heart disease.

stomach: Most exhaust chemicals are accumulative meaning long car rides irritate stomachs causing nausea, and vomiting.

bones: Traces of chemical residue have been found to embed within bone marrow.

reproduction: Developing fetal damage includes lung deformations and prenatal deaths.

Left: Photograph by Albert Christopher 14

THE M MAGAZINE

–MARCH 2013

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