By Katherine Hatcher | Staff Writer
The term “self-expression” may bring to mind how people dress and style their bodies, speaking volumes to their personality and individuality. There is also another area of everyday self-expression that has become popular to style: cars.
Cars are like a mini home that can express who people are through cleanliness, decor, smell, music, colors and more. As fun as it is to take the interior and exterior of a car and have it reflect your personality, people should consider which types of car decor are actually safe.
According to the World Health Organization, 1.19 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. Although these crashes are caused by a multitude of things, drivers getting distracted by their own belongings, including their interior decorations, is one of them.
With some tweaks and tips, different kinds of car decor can reflect one’s personality while also being safe and preventing harm.
Steering wheel covers
The steering wheel is a great artistic space to create a certain vibe in a car, whether that’s more preppy, boho or manly. Steering wheel covers execute self expression because they come in various colors, patterns and textures. However, not all materials are effective for safety while driving.
According to Capital One Auto Navigator article, “loose or ill-fitting wraps could slip while driving, and watches or jewelry could get tangled in crocheted steering wheel covers.”
Drivers should steer away from covers that are hard to grab onto or that prevent full flow of movement in the arms. Instead, seek to purchase steering wheel covers that look nice and create strong grip strength.
Phone holders
Many cars today have car play where maps, music and more are displayed on their dashboard screen. However, not all people have cars with a screen or some may have older models. If you’re one of these people, then a phone holder is the way to go for you.
They can be a nice flair to a car’s interior while also increasing car safety since they prevent staring at a phone to see where to go. While effective, these phone holders could also be dangerous depending on where they are placed. For instance, phone holders that can only be placed on the dashboard or windshield affect a driver’s peripheral view of driving.
Instead, drivers should purchase phone holders that attach to their vents. Travel + Leisure accredits that the best vent phone holder is the AINOPE Car Phone Holder Mount Vent 2024 that can be purchased from Amazon for $13.
Hanging and dashboard decor
Some of the most popular ways to transform a car’s interior space are through hanging decorations and dashboard decorations. Many people either hang air fresheners from the rear view mirror or have little characters on the dashboard, such as the classic hula woman that dances while you drive.
While these are normally the most fun decorations, they are also probably the most distracting. According to Capital One Auto Navigator, dangling car decor could prevent a driver from operating safely and could even become a harmful projectile in the event that a crash happens. The website suggests leaning away from decor like fuzzy dice or transparent crystals that could reflect into drivers’ eyes.
To minimize danger, looking for hanging decor that is heavy enough that it won’t move too much in your peripheral vision, fly off the mirror or block your vision from the road is the way to go. There are lots of safe and unique hanging decor options that can be found on Etsy.
Car decor should be fun and transform a little space of everyday life. However, what is the risk of fun if it could cost you your life? Cars are a wonderful way to express personalities, but drivers also need to be responsible by using discernment for which decorations are reflective of who they are and extremely safe.
