Can you leave car running to warm it up in cold weather? Here’s what Georgia law says
Frigid temperatures likely are on the way as winter gets into full swing, leaving Georgia drivers with frost-covered cars in their driveways.
To make for a more comfortable commute, some people opt to warm up their vehicle before driving. The practice isn’t totally necessary in newer model cars, and could make you an easy mark for thieves, experts say.
“We always warn consumers about the dangers of leaving a vehicle unlocked ... but leaving the car running with a key or fob in the vehicle is a prime target for an opportunistic thief,” said Jim Schweitzer, chief operating officer of the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Leaving your car running is even illegal in some parts of the Peach State.
Here’s what Georgia law says about letting your car idle while unattended.
Can you leave your car running in Georgia?
The short answer is, it depends where you live.
Georgia code 40-6-201 once made it a crime to leave a vehicle unattended, but the ordinance was repealed by the state legislature in July 2007, records show.
It stated that “no person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition (and) effectively setting the brake. ...”
While there’s currently no state law on the books, there are local ordinances that limit idling time.
In Macon, for example, idling is limited to 25 minutes when a car is “being used to supply heat or air conditioning necessary for passenger safety or comfort,” or when temperatures fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Section 28-95 of the city’s municipal code.
Drivers found in violation could face a maximum $500 fine.
The city of Columbus dropped its law against leaving unattended cars running in 1978, records show.
In Atlanta, truck and bus drivers cannot leave their vehicles idling on the street or any public place for longer than 15 minutes, city law says. The time limit is extended to 25 minutes in temperatures under 32 degrees.
The ordinance adds that “any vehicle, truck, bus, or transit authority bus in which the primary source of fuel is Natural Gas (CNG) or electricity shall be exempt from the idling limitations set forth in this section.”
How long should you let your car warm up?
It only takes a few minutes for the heat to kick in in a cold car, experts say.
In most cases, drivers don’t need to let their vehicle run for longer than it takes to defrost the windshield, according to Consumer Reports’ chief mechanic John Ibbotson.
Experts add that modern car engines are “fully lubricated within 20 to 30 seconds” — long before the cabin gets toasty.
“Some drivers prefer to let the engine idle for 20 minutes or longer to get everything ... really warm, but the fastest way to warm up an engine is by driving,” the magazine reported. “Extended idling just wastes gas.”
This story was originally published December 28, 2023 at 10:59 AM with the headline "Can you leave car running to warm it up in cold weather? Here’s what Georgia law says."