Are You Breaking the Law in Texas by Letting Your Car Warm Up?

The colder weather is slowly starting to creep up in the Permian Basin. The colder seasons don't get too bad out here but still put a good chill in the air. Even though our winters can be mild, we West Texans are not used to any type of chill in the air.

When I was a kid my Mom would go start the car to warm it up before we got in. For most of us, this is a common occurrence we have either done or heard of. Someone goes to the car, turns it on, and leaves the keys in the vehicle so it can stay running while they head inside. Did you know that this could be illegal?

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The Texas Transportation Code 545.404 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. So in lamens terms, it is illegal for an operator to start a car and leave it unattended to warn up in Texas.

Now you are asking the question, what if I do it with a remote start key fob? This is technically legal. You can remotely start the vehicle without the keys being in the vehicle or ignition and you can not take the vehicle without the keys being physically present.

Hey, I used to be guilty of doing this myself! My older family members used to tell me it was better for your car life but with modern cars, this is not true. You can just kick it on and go! Plus you don't want to get your car stolen, EEK! With Texas being one of the top states for stolen vehicles, it's better to be safe than sorry.