Warming a Car Engine Without Supervision Can Get a Ticket in This Country

JAKARTA - Warming the car engine before continuing the routine seems like a common thing that many people do, you included? It is done to warm the cabin before leaving.

But in the state of North Carolina, leaving a car with the engine running, especially when not supervised, can result in a fine in some public places, or known as the Dawson rule.

According to Dawson's rule explanation, leaving a vehicle's engine on without supervision is considered a Class 3 minor offense. As can be expected, this rule is at the lowest level of law enforcement in the country.

However, this rule only applies in public areas such as highways, public roads, gas stations, and parking lots. Private property is generally excluded in North Carolina.

"Locking and securing your car, as well as turning it off, is more important for us that the vehicle is not stolen because it is often a crime that occurs because of opportunity," said Onslow County Sheriff, Chris Thomas, quoted from the Carscoops page, Friday, December 26.

"This law only applies if it is on a public road or public vehicle area," explained Thomas.

Thus, this regulation is made not only because of emission reductions, but tends to be more as a tool to prevent theft.

However, this rule does not only apply in North Carolina. 16 states and the District of Columbia have rules on leaving vehicle engines running unattended, in various forms. Most limit vehicle owners to three to five minutes.