Do you know what is in car exhaust?

Car exhaust is a really unpleasant mixture of gases, compounds and chemicals. We all breathe this in to a greater or lesser extent depending on our daily activities, so it might be a good idea to find out what is actually in exhaust fumes, and the effects that breathing this in could have on our health. Many of us exercise near high levels of pollution from car exhaust, without thinking about the risks that we run by doing so.

Most vehicles need oil and gas to power their engines, with mechanical and chemical reactions occurring to run the vehicle. Combustion of the fuel releases a mixture of gases and suspended particles which are referred to as exhaust gas.

Car exhaust contains a mix of gases like sulphur dioxide and ozone, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide as well as compounds such as benzene and toluene in addition to thousands of chemicals.

Carbon monoxide is the commonest single cause of poisoning in industry as well as in the home- as it is colourless, tasteless and odourless, and it binds to the haemoglobin in our blood, causing suffocation in large enough quantities.

The other compounds and chemicals in exhaust gas can cause heart disease, lung disease and cancer. There is no safe level of these pollutants – even small amounts at concentrations lower than recommended air quality standards can cause illness.

In addition to the gases and chemicals, car exhaust also contains small particles which are less than 0.1 micrometre in size, which easily get into the smallest sacs in the lungs and are just as easily absorbed into your circulatory system. Note that diesel fuel emissions are the worst from a health perspective – diesel exhaust is regarded by the World health Organisation as a Group 1 carcinogen – carcinogenic to humans.

Just breathing exhaust fumes in, is dangerous to your health – but when you exercise your breathing rate increases. Moderate exercise near a source of car exhaust can result in you absorbing as much as five times as much fine particulate matter than if you were at rest.

Most at risk will be the frail or elderly, and people with conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease.

So – protect your health by limiting the amount of exposure that you have to car exhaust fumes, and if you exercise on busy roads, rather choose quieter roads, a park or other recreation area, early in the morning before the build up of traffic. Later in the day there are more pollutants, and the heat causes pollutants like ozone to form.

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What To Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car

Coming back to find your parked car damaged is never fun, but knowing how to respond correctly can save you time, money and stress.

Firstly, understand that getting upset is natural, but taking a deep breath will help you make better decisions. Examine your car thoroughly and document any visible damage, taking multiple photos from different angles, including close-ups of dents, scratches or broken parts, and capturing the surrounding area, such as road signs and markings, for context.

Next, see if you can locate the driver responsible. Sometimes, people leave a note with their contact information and insurance details. If there’s no note, look for witnesses nearby who may have seen what happened. You can also check for CCTV from nearby businesses, homes or on the street, as some areas have coverage. If you’re unsure, consider contacting the local council to find out whether cameras are in place that might have captured the accident.

If the driver didn’t leave a note, or if they did but are unresponsive or the information they provided seems incorrect, contact the police to report the accident and provide all the information you have, including photos, footage and witness statements. Be sure to request a copy of the police report, as it can be useful when dealing with insurance.

If you’re still having a hard time getting a hold of the at-fault driver and therefore cannot claim directly through their car insurer, it’s time to lodge a claim with your own insurance provider, if you have one. Provide them with as much information as possible, including the police report. From there, your insurer can determine whether your coverage, along with the information you have, will cover the damage to your car.

If your car insurer happens to find information about the at-fault driver and is able to have them lodge a claim so the costs of the damage are recoverable, you can contact Carbiz for a replacement car while your car is being repaired or until it’s been deemed a total loss. This ensures you’re not left without a car during this time, giving you peace of mind and the ability to keep your life moving.

For help organising your next steps, read our car accident insurance claim checklist and explore accident replacement vehicle options.

What It Means When Your Car Is Declared A Write-Off After An Accident

Updated 6 October 2026.

When an insurer declares a car a write-off, it has assessed the vehicle as a total loss under the policy. The damage may make repairs unsafe, or the cost of repairing the car may make a repair uneconomical. A write-off does not always mean the car is visibly destroyed.

How is a write-off decision made?

The assessment can take account of the vehicle's value, repair costs, salvage value and the policy terms. There is no single repair-cost percentage that determines every write-off across Australia. Ask the insurer for its assessment and the basis for its decision.

A total-loss insurance decision and a vehicle's written-off registration category are related but different matters. Whether a car can return to the road depends on the damage classification and the rules of the relevant state or territory.

Statutory and repairable write-offs

Statutory write-off: the vehicle meets specified damage criteria and cannot be re-registered for road use.
Repairable write-off: repairs may be technically possible, but the vehicle has been assessed as uneconomical to repair. This label does not itself authorise repairs or guarantee re-registration.

Requirements vary across Australia. In NSW, an eligible written-off light vehicle needs an Authorisation to Repair from Transport for NSW before work begins. Only limited applications are considered, and vehicles with statutory write-off damage are excluded. Approval, compliant repairs and the required inspections are separate steps.

What happens to your insurance payout?

The settlement depends on your cover and circumstances. It may be based on an agreed value, a market value or a replacement-vehicle benefit if your policy provides one. An excess, outstanding premium or finance arrangements may affect the amount you receive. Ask for a written breakdown before accepting the settlement.

Keep the assessment, photographs, policy documents and correspondence together. If you disagree with the valuation, provide relevant evidence and use the insurer's complaints process. See AAMI's explanation of total-loss claims for an insurer's example; your own policy determines your cover.

Getting around after a not-at-fault accident

If you need a replacement vehicle, tell Carbiz that your car has been declared a write-off. Eligibility, vehicle availability, the hire period and the terms of the agreement need to be confirmed for your circumstances. A write-off does not automatically entitle everyone to unlimited hire.

Contact Carbiz to discuss your accident replacement vehicle options. For a practical checklist, read what to do after receiving a write-off decision.

5 October 2017