If you've ever left your car running while going into a gas station to grab something really quickly, you could be hurting the environment and potentially breaking the law.
Leaving your car on while not being in it is called idling, sometimes referred to as puffing, releasing unnecessary pollution into the air. Not only is it bad for the environment, but doing so also puts you at a much higher risk of having your vehicle stolen and, depending on circumstances, could result in a fine.
"Idling vehicles emit harmful pollutants at ground level, including nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter," Shea Sorenson, deputy public information officer for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality's air
quality office, wrote in a statement. "These emissions worsen air quality and pose heightened risks to sensitive populations, particularly children, the elderly and individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD."
It may seem like a smart idea to keep the air conditioner running while making a stop at the gas station, but you could be putting others in danger, especially in highly populated areas of Arizona with already poor air quality.
Is idling your car illegal in Arizona?
No Arizona state law makes idling illegal, but Maricopa Ordinance P-21 makes it illegal for large vehicles to idle for more than 5 minutes within the county.
The ordinance does not apply to most cars because they are too small or do not operate on a diesel engine; it mostly applies to large commercial trucks.
Unless your vehicle weighs 14,000 pounds or more, is designed to operate on public highways and operates on diesel, then idling for more than five minutes is not illegal within Maricopa County or any Arizona county.
If your vehicle were to meet all of these descriptors, then running its engine for 5 minutes or more without moving is illegal within Maricopa County and could result in a $100 violation and a $300 violation anytime afterwards.
There are several exceptions to this law since it mainly applies to commercial trucks; if the vehicle is forced to stop due to traffic or engine issues, then the ordinance does not apply. A vehicle being used to unload, load or process cargo, or to control cargo temperatures, is a valid exception to this idling rule as well.
All acceptable exemptions to the city ordinance can be found on the Maricopa County website.
Why is idling bad?
Not only is idling a waste of your vehicle's gas, but it also puts your vehicle at risk of being stolen and creates worse air quality conditions for Arizona.
Several states have idling laws for personal vehicles that restrict drivers from leaving the car running while parked.
Arizona does not have any statewide laws regarding this topic; however, there are several government initiatives across Arizona counties informing residents of the environmental dangers of idling.
Maricopa County air quality communications department officer Ari Halpert recommends turning off your car while in drive-through lines, curbside pickup and during school pickup lines to reduce the amount of pollutants being released from cars.
Not only will this improve Arizonans' health and the environment, but it also saves drivers money on gas.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Is it legal to idle your car in Arizona? What the law says
