In These States It's Actually Illegal to Warm Up Your Car
By Cory Stieg/Dec 24, 2016
Ahh, 'tis the season of nightmare-ish polar vortexes sweeping the nation right and left. The only thing worse than having to go outside in this type of weather is having to enter a freezing cold car. You might be tempted to turn on your vehicle and let it get nice and cozy before you hop in, but this is actually illegal in many states, according to Men's Health.
It doesn't even matter how long your car is running, most states consider idling an automatic misdemeanor. Even cars that have an automatic start feature are against the law in some states, according to Lifewire. (Hey, don't kill the messenger.)
The penalties vary from state to state. In Washington D.C., for example, you can get fined $5,000 if your car is sitting around for just three minutes. Other states are more lenient, like Pennsylvania, where the law states you can idle for 20 minutes when the temperature is below 40?.
You can check your own state's laws on the EPA's website, but here are the states that don't allow you to let your car idle (it's most of them):
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming
This isn't just lawmakers' way of messing with you, by the way. It's actually meant to help the environment! Another weird overlooked law in many states: You have to scrape all the ice and snow off your car, otherwise you'll get fined for distracted driving. So, when you trek outside to deal with the latest blizzard after math, remember that you're helping your fellow drivers and the planet! It might just warm your heart enough to make your car defrost.