These 4 car accessories should be removed from your car immediately

We get it – you just got your shiny new car and can’t wait to add a personalized touch to it. But, do you know that there are certain car accessories that are downright dangerous?

As highlighted by our colleague Adrian, here are four car accessories that should either be ignored, or removed from your car immediately.

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Universal or ill-fitting carpet mats

Not many people know this, but an ill-fitting carpet mat can be downright hazardous, as it can either cause your accelerator or brake pedal to get stuck.

Despite what sellers are advertising, there’s no such thing as a universal carpet mat. Every car’s foot well design is different and there’s no one size that fits all.

If you want to replace the original carpet, find for one pre-cut to fit your car model. Avoid universal carpets at all costs.

Dashboard covers

Another potentially dangerous car accessory is a dashboard cover. Some people claim that they purchased a dashboard cover to prevent their dashboard from fading, but have you actually seen a faded dashboard?

Dashboard covers are dangerous as they could affect the front passenger airbag from deploying properly during a crash, leading to serious injuries. It’s better to just skip dashboard covers altogether.

Seatbelt clips

Don’t let its small demeanor fool you, as seatbelt clips are perhaps one of the deadliest car accessories around.

When driving, you should always buckle up. There’s no excuse for not buckling up, even if it’s a short drive around your neighbourhood.

A research by Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) showed that, out of 326 participants, 12.9 percent (42 persons) have used one of these dummy buckles.

Worst still, out of 1,000 road accident cases that they investigated from 2017 until last year, 30 percent of the drivers and passengers were not wearing seat belts, but were using the dummy buckle instead.

Also Read: MIROS: 30% of people in accidents were using a dummy seatbelt buckle

Without a seatbelt, you risk being a projectile in the event of a crash. If your insurance company finds out that you were driving without a seatbelt, they have the right to deny you from claims after an accident.

Decorative steering wheel stickers

Noticed that the trim surrounding the airbag in the steering wheel is oftentimes rather bare? It’s like that for a reason, as anything stuck on the steering wheel can risk being a projectile when the airbag deploys.

That includes tiny decorative stickers or diamonds that some car owners put in their car. If you have one on your steering wheel, it’s best to remove it or risk getting injured if your airbag deploys in an accident.

There you have it, four dangerous car accessories that should not be fitted to your car. Granted, this is not a be-all and end-all guide, but it is a good starting point for many.

Can you think of other dangerous car accessories? Drop us a comment below.