A cold, intense winter may be settling in over Iowa – 2023 has just arrived, and we’ve already seen one deep polar freeze! That means early morning workers can expect many freezing-cold mornings as they struggle to get both themselves and their cars moving! But for those thinking of starting the car to warm up and getting a cup of coffee, think again – you could be risking a costly ticket. There’s an anti-idling law in Iowa that might trip up a lot of people during the winter. However, it’s not as simple as a straight-forward ban on idling your car or warming it up in the winter – it’s all about how you handle it and how long you take. Here’s how to keep your car running smoothly while avoiding the long arm of the law in Iowa this winter!

Winters in Iowa can be rough, especially when the snow is falling fast - and you've got to get to work early in the morning!
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After a long, hard job of shoveling off the car roof to prevent flying snow on the road, the car might feel as cold as the outside. It's tempting to warm up the engine for a while and get a hot cup of coffee.
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But be careful! While it's not illegal in Iowa to warm up your car, it is illegal to leave a car while it's running for any length of time - so don't step out of the car, or you could be facing a fine.
Subconsci Productions/Flickr

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The reasoning here is more to protect you than the environment - a running car is very vulnerable to car thieves, and the law is trying to minimize heists and make sure the police don't have to chase down those boosted cars.
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The good news is, studies show that running your car to warm it up doesn't actually make it warm up faster - cars warm up fastest while being driven.
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Of course, driving on a snowy, frozen morning still isn't many people's cup of tea - which is why countless parents are likely grateful for the school bus!
Todd Ehlers/Flickr

Did you know about the anti-idling law in Iowa before this article? Let us know how you handle those cold winter morning starts in the comments section! For the exact text of the regulation, you can visit the official Iowa website. For how Iowa handles itself during the snowiest months, check out this getaway to Iowa’s snowiest town.

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