Car accessories marketed as performance upgrades may actually make the vehicle more hazardous for all involved. Even legal add-ons may present hazards to other drivers and passengers on the road.

Installing an unapproved steering wheel cover could obstruct the functioning of your airbags, leading them to inflate at an unpredictable angle with increased force.

Airbags

Airbags are an indispensable safety feature of modern vehicles. Deployed within milliseconds, they protect drivers and passengers from frontal collision impacts by cushioning head, chest, and face impacts with cushioned airbags that inflate within milliseconds – protecting head, chest, face, facet joints etc. Frontal airbags tend to be found near steering wheels or dashboards while side airbags may be found in seats or doors – collectively they decrease driver risk of death by 31% (Kahane 2015).

Airbags may save lives, but they also pose the threat of injury. Early airbag usage saw forceful inflation of frontal airbags cause injury to children and shorter adults who were too close to steering wheels or dashboard when deployed. Today this issue is less concerning; airbags inflate with nitrogen gas produced from sodium azide which produces toxic fumes upon deployment; this chemical reaction completely consumes any toxic by-products during deployment, so no threat exists outside the vehicle itself.

Floor mats

Floor mats are an integral component of car interiors that help keep carpets fresh and protect underlying flooring while cutting maintenance costs. Furthermore, floor mats can offer traction when entering or exiting a vehicle as they prevent slipperiness while entering and leaving.

There is a range of floor mats available, such as all-weather mats to trap dirt and snow. These mats typically include channels sculpted into their top surface to collect debris and moisture, and may feature rubber or plastic cores to support them.

Other floor mats are intended to protect carpets from stains and mildew growth, such as oil absorbent mats. These mats work by collecting spilled fluids to prevent accidents and decrease maintenance costs – ideal for facilities with large amounts of oil or grease that deal with large volumes. In industrial settings where workers stand for extended periods, oil absorbent mats also prove useful in protecting carpets from spillage.

Lift kits

Although some car accessories may seem harmless, they can actually pose serious threats to both driver and passengers. Accessories like Kleenex box projectiles or additional cup holders could become lethal during an accident and break off or shift during impact, potentially striking drivers or passengers in the head or neck region.

Lift kits have quickly become one of the most sought-after car accessories, elevating a vehicle’s suspension height so as to accommodate larger tires. Although adding to its aesthetic value, lift kits may reduce handling and fuel efficiency as well as increase wear on certain components while nullifying manufacturer warranties.

Before making any modifications or purchases for your car, it’s essential that you research the laws of your state regarding accessories and modifications. An illegal modification could incur fines or even severe penalties from authorities.

Headlights

Car manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure their vehicles offer drivers a clear view with no blind spots, but these efforts may be undone by new owners who affix feathered rearview talismans or fuzzy dice to their mirrors – these accessories impede visibility for drivers as well as pedestrians, cyclists or temporary road signs who might be present on the roadway at that moment.

Aftermarket accessories that include steering wheel emblems with rhinestones may also pose risks during an accident, becoming projectiles if there is an airbag deployment and potentially dislodging during deployment causing serious injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warning against these accessories being unsafe as projectiles.

If a vehicle owner or driver installs an illegal accessory that contributes to an accident or injury, civil liability could arise. Furthermore, should someone make illegal modifications and the police pull them over for such illegality, civil liabilities could include either financial fines or forced removal of said accessory.