Is it legal to let your car warm up unattended in KY’s cold weather? What state law says
Kentucky has some cold days ahead, with the Lexington area in particular expected to get bitter cold temperatures and sub-zero wind chills toward the start of the work week.
When the temperature drops, it might be part of your morning routine to start your car, scrape off any frost and head back inside to enjoy your morning coffee in blessed warmth.
What you may not know though is that, strictly speaking, leaving your car running unattended is illegal in Kentucky. Let’s take a look at what state law says and whether you could get a ticket for letting your car idle unattended.
What Kentucky law says about leaving your car unattended
There’s a longstanding Kentucky law that makes things quite clear and establishes “no person operating or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended.”
Under the law, motorists must stop the engine, lock the ignition and remove the key. They’re also prohibited from parking the vehicle on a grade without setting the brake and turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the road.
You should never allow your car to idle for long in closed spaces, like a garage.
There has been at least one attempt to modernize that law, including in the 2017 General Assembly session with House Bill 177. That legislation proposed amending the law “to allow motor vehicle engine idling for no longer than 15 minutes” and requires the vehicle’s doors remain locked while doing so.
That effort ultimately wasn’t successful, however. The measure passed out of the House, but died in the Senate after it was referred to committee.
So, while you may appreciate the convenience of letting your car warm up, you could be opening yourself up to a ticket, not to mention car theft.
On average, a vehicle is stolen roughly every 32 seconds in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency advises against letting your car idle unattended. It recommends taking your vehicle’s key with you and removing any valuables (or at least storing them out of view) if you plan to leave your car unattended for any given length of time.
You should also never allow your car to idle for long in closed spaces, like a garage.
Do you have a question about Kentucky law for our service journalism team? Let us know via the Know Your Kentucky form below or by emailing us at ask@herald-leader.com.