It's Illegal To Warm Up Your Car In Your Driveway In Texas

There are two types of people.

There is the person, male or female, who throws something on, runs out to their car, and starts it up. Maybe they keep it unlocked, then run back into the house because who wants to get in a cold car, right?

Then there are the more privileged human beings who use our remote automatic starters (yes, I am one of them) because who wants to go through all the stuff person one goes through, right?

Did you know it's technically illegal to leave your car warming up in your driveway if you don't meet a very specific requirement?

According to Texas' Transporation Code, it's illegal to leave a car unattended without stopping the engine, locking the ignition, and removing the key from the ignition.

There's always an exception though, right? If you have a remote starter (like me here, shoutout to all person number two's) that requires a key to be placed in the ignition or physically present in the vehicle before it can be operated, you're in the all-clear.

The point of the law is to prevent car thefts, and while the odds of you being cited for leaving your car idling are low, it's still a good idea to keep an eye on your car at all times if you're going to leave it running to warm up.

Personally, I never know why people leave their cars unattended when they go into the convenience store or gas station. Thieves watch for signs of unattended cars with the keys in the ignition.

The next thing you know your stuff's missing or you're without a car!

Looking stupid....

via GIPHY