PriceProtect™
DriveShield™
GarageGuard™
Services
Insurance
Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance with Jerry
Jerry’s Expert Advice
Car Insurance Estimates
Home & Renters Insurance
Renters Insurance
Loans
Car Loan
Compare Car Loans with Jerry
Jerry's Expert Advice
Car Loan Guides
Repairs
Car Repair Estimates
Repair Estimates for Popular Services
Advice
Read Car Content
Browse Jerry Car Advice
Check Out Expert Car QnA
Learn About How We Create Content
Jerry Data & Research
Can battery acid kill you if you drink it?
I changed my car battery by myself for the first time, and it actually worked out without a hitch! As I was doing it, though, it got me thinking. Can battery acid kill you if you drink it?
Melanie Mergen · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Nice work—glad to hear your first try went well! And in a word, yes—battery acid can kill you. There are a number of different ways that car battery acid is harmful and most notably, it’s fatal if you ingest it.
Battery acid, which contains concentrated sulfuric acid, is highly corrosive. Touching it would burn your skin or eyes if you came into contact with it, and drinking it could create burns and even holes in your stomach, esophagus, and mouth. Ingesting even just a teaspoon of battery acid could potentially kill you.
It might not necessarily happen right away, either—the fatal effect of drinking battery acid might not set in for as long as a month. Even when it’s not fatal, the damage may be severe enough that you may have to surgically remove parts of your stomach or esophagus if ingested.
When handling a car battery, sulfuric acid can start to form on the outside of the battery, so wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety glasses to limit the odds of getting accidentally exposed to it.
Hopefully, you took the right safety precautions when you changed your own battery, but if not, now you know the steps to take for next time.
There are all kinds of risks involved when it comes to car ownership and car maintenance. That makes it essential to make sure you have the right
car insurance
policy protecting your vehicle. View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance
You Might Also Be Interested
Read Advice From Car Experts At Jerry
What Others Are Asking
Browse More Content
Insurance in Your State
Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance
No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls
Quotes from top insurance companies
