Photo: KLAQ.com
If you’re driving through or you happen to live in Texas, be careful about leaving your engine running when you’re not inside the car: this could cost you a pretty penny, the police say.
The cold weather is coming and police are doing their best to limit the number of car thefts in the state. That includes warning drivers of starting the engine and leaving the car unattended, in order to warm it up, KFOXTV reports.
The practice is worldwide known: the weather is cold and you have to drive someplace, so before actually getting on the road, you head into the car and start the engine. While the car is warming up, you pop back inside the house because, as we said, it’s cold outside.
This leaves an incredibly wide window of opportunity for car thieves. So, in addition to running the risk of having your car taken right from your driveway, you also run the risk of receiving a citation when you go to the police to report it’s missing.
This might seem like a classic “kick somebody when they’re down” move, but it’s actually legal. The El Paso Police Department says it will fine all drivers whose cars are stolen because they left it unattended with the engine running because it’s illegal to do so.
The Texas Transportation Code 545.404. clearly stipulates: “Unattended Motor Vehicle states a person may not leave a vehicle unattended without stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the ignition, setting the parking brake effectively and if standing on a grade, turning the front wheel to the curb or side of the highway.”
This law doesn’t apply to drivers of keyless cars, who can start the engine remotely and have the fob on their person. In that case, they can legally wait for their car to warm up while they’re still inside their house.
The practice is worldwide known: the weather is cold and you have to drive someplace, so before actually getting on the road, you head into the car and start the engine. While the car is warming up, you pop back inside the house because, as we said, it’s cold outside.
This leaves an incredibly wide window of opportunity for car thieves. So, in addition to running the risk of having your car taken right from your driveway, you also run the risk of receiving a citation when you go to the police to report it’s missing.
This might seem like a classic “kick somebody when they’re down” move, but it’s actually legal. The El Paso Police Department says it will fine all drivers whose cars are stolen because they left it unattended with the engine running because it’s illegal to do so.
The Texas Transportation Code 545.404. clearly stipulates: “Unattended Motor Vehicle states a person may not leave a vehicle unattended without stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the ignition, setting the parking brake effectively and if standing on a grade, turning the front wheel to the curb or side of the highway.”
This law doesn’t apply to drivers of keyless cars, who can start the engine remotely and have the fob on their person. In that case, they can legally wait for their car to warm up while they’re still inside their house.
Google News