Warming Up Your Car Illegal in Ohio

As the temperatures drop, your instinct and local mechanic may be telling you to warm up your car but you’re breaking the law if you leave it unattended.

The Ohio Revised Code said “No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the ignition.” Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said the law may seem inconvenient for drivers but it’s a necessary measure to reduce car theft which can lead to more dangerous crimes.

“We have a lot of stolen cars that are used in crime and crime sprees so it’s not uncommon for someone to steal a car and then they’ll go rob a gas station or a convenient store,” said Lutz. “They’ll go out and do a lot of criminal damaging with the car. They’ll do a lot of property damage with the car. They’ll do the thefts with the car and so in that situation it does create an easier target for the criminals.”

The fine for breaking the law is $150 and having your car locked or using auto start doesn’t make you exempt from the rule, but Lutz said there won’t be a rush of citations issued.

“We don’t drive around neighborhoods looking for those issues but if a problem arises from that, if you leave your car unattended, you’re breaking the law and then that car is used and possibly hurts somebody or kills somebody then there could be legal ramifications that come back on you,” said Lutz.

Lutz said if you do choose to warm up your car, avoid doing so in crowded areas and simply use your common sense.