The governor of Illinois has imposed new coronavirus guidelines that include a requirement that we all wear facemasks when out in public. Do you need to wear one while operating your car, truck or SUV? Of course, that doesn’t make a lot of sense, unless you are stopped, with the window open and speaking with someone outside the vehicle. But in this day of the pandemic, people often just don’t know.

The truth is that, when you’re alone in your car, truck or SUV, or with someone you live with, you’re about as safe behind the wheel as you are in your home. It’s very unlikely that the COVID-19 germs will make their way into your vehicle’s interior while you’re driving down the road. You shouldn’t feel any need to wear a facemask at that time.

On the other hand, if you’re pulled over for speeding, you may want to wear a mask to protect yourself, as well as to protect the police officer who is coming up to your window. Chances are, the officer will be wearing Nitrile gloves so that you shouldn’t have to worry about passing germs, one way or the other, on the surface of your driver’s license. But, to be safe anyhow, you may want to have some wipes to wipe down your ID and to wipe your hands.

In the meantime, try to keep your hands away from your face.

What about coronavirus and gassing up?

When you fill you up the fuel tank on your vehicle, you’ll need to remove the hose from the pump, open your gas cap, place the filler nozzle into the tank and operate the pump. You’ll probably have to use the touch screen on the pump, too.

These are all surfaces that other people have touched when they gassed up, too. Were they wearing Nitrile gloves while pumping gas? Even if they were, was there any guarantee that the gloves hadn’t come into contact with something containing the germs of the virus?

There’s no reason to panic – none at all. But there is cause for due precautions. Wearing Nitrile gloves yourself, while filling your car, truck or SUV’s fuel tank, is a great start. Making a point to keep your hands away from your face is essential, too. But don’t assume that’s enough. A real good idea is to have some sanitary wipes in the vehicle you can wipe your hands, and your credit/debit card.

Even if you go inside the store, you want to observe due precautions. According to the governor, this includes wearing a facemask. But remember that, when you touch the door handle going in and out of the store, and anything you touch inside the store, has the potential to carry the virus.

What if your car, truck or SUV needs service?

Whether your vehicle needs regular maintenance, such as an oil change, tune-up, alignment, or if it needs repairs, such as work on the suspension-steering, new tires, coolant, electrical work or a battery, bringing the vehicle in for service may present a problem.

Many auto repair shops, such as Performance Unlimited, have responded to the virus by offering sanitary pick-up and drop-off service. With this service, they pick-up our vehicle, bring it in for whatever service or repairs are required, and then they bring it back to your home. They do this while upholding all due precautions, including wearing proper safety equipment and wiping down the vehicle anywhere that it is touched.