SALT LAKE CITY, Utah Dec. 9, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — In addition to being a marvelous way to have their vehicle stolen, motorists may not realize it’s against the law to leave them idling unattended.
“This year the Salt Lake City Police Department has already taken 340 reports of stolen cars where the keys were left inside — 176 of them were left unattended and running or warming up,” according to the department’s Thursday night cautionary press release, which included a short video.
“Recently, we found the car in this video running unattended with the keys inside and unlocked, for several minutes. It took less than five minutes of driving slowly through neighborhoods to locate it.”
The department noted it’s a major inconvenience to lose your vehicle in a theft. “The cost associated with a rental car and the damages which may be done to your vehicle if you are fortunate enough to have it recovered can be more than what your car is worth.
“It is also illegal to let your car idle for more than two minutes in Salt Lake City.” An internet search shows it’s not just SLC, but nationwide, by both state law and local ordinance. And not just because of the caseload headache for police, but environmental concerns, as the SLCPD release noted.
“Poor air quality is a significant health concern for all who are in the Salt Lake Valley. Vehicle exhaust makes up over 50% of the air pollution in Utah during a typical winter day, and unnecessary idling of cars and buses contribute a significant amount of emissions released into the air each day.
“We all care about the air we breathe and want to do what we can to keep SLC safe for everyone. Please do not let your vehicle idle unnecessarily.”
