A Reminder That As The Temps Dip, You Might Be Breaking Illinois Law Without Even Knowing It

This is one of those laws that you've probably broken 1,000 times without even knowing it.

The Rockford Scanner Facebook group (which, full disclosure, I don't think always has the communities best interest at heart. I don't want to start anything with them but they should know that we know that they know what they're doing) but I've seen similar sentiment from the local police department.

Full disclosure. I've been guilty of this crime at least 4 times this month alone.

First of all. Is it actually illegal?

I went to the Google machine to find out, and according to the Illinois General Assembly website, yeah, it looks like it might be.

Unattended motor vehicles...except for a law enforcement officer or an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle performing his or her official duties, no person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the setting the brake (sic) thereon and, when standing upon any perceptible grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway. An unattended motor vehicle shall not include an unattended locked motor vehicle with the engine running afteer being started by a remote starter system.

So, I guess my question is: Has anyone ever been ticketed for this crime?

Like I said, I've been guilty of this pretty much every winter season. I drive to work at 4 in the morning, sometimes it's 7 below zero when I go to work, decisions were made.

I'm not advising you to break the law here bur I'm pretty sure this law is enforced even less than the one that says you can't have fuzzy dice hanging from your mirror.

Do what you need to do. It's January in Illinois, but if someone pesters you about starting your car in your driveway, you can't say that we didn't warn you.