Warming up your idling car in the cold? It could end up with a ticket and hefty fine
Drivers risk $500 fines for common winter driving habit
- Drivers hoping to warm up their cars in cold weather should be aware of “anti-puffing” laws which prohibit leaving a car running, unlocked, and unattended, a practice known as idling or “puffing.”
- Many US states have these laws, with fines up to $500 in Texas for violations in an effort to reduce the risk of cars being stolen.
- Over 97,700 cars were stolen with keys left inside in Texas in 2020, highlighting the risk associated with idling.
- A total of 31 states and Washington, D.C., have anti-idling regulations, with permitted stationary times varying from one minute in some Utah cities to 10-15 minutes in South Carolina and Nevada, and a blanket ban in Hawaii.
- Penalties range from warnings and small fines for first offenses to several hundred dollars, with subsequent violations in California potentially incurring fines between $1,000 and $10,000.