Carbon monoxide exposure in campus vehicles has injured and killed students nationwide. Learn how CO builds up in cars, buses, and vans, and how campuses and students can prevent it.

When it comes to carbon monoxide (CO) safety in schools, most action happens after someone is harmed. Too often, it takes hospitalizations—or worse—for inspections, policies, or funding to follow. That’s why Kentucky’s recent announcement outlining a 2026 statewide carbon monoxide safety initiative deserves national attention.

Carbon monoxide in college housing has injured and killed students across the U.S.—often in dorms, fraternity houses, and off-campus apartments where detection and training are inconsistent. Drawing from national incident data and real campus tragedies, this article explores why CO safety varies by state, why building codes treat student spaces differently, and why many students are being told to protect themselves with personal CO alarms.

Carbon monoxide (CO) detection rules are inconsistent across schools, daycares, churches, camps, and athletic facilities. Buildings aren’t regulated by who uses them — they’re regulated by how the code classifies them. And that classification, called an occupancy type, determines whether CO detection is required, optional, or never mentioned at all. The problem? Most parents, teachers, and even administrators have no idea which occupancy type their building falls under.