Parents and carers who drive to the school run have been warned of a little-known mistake that can prove harmful to others around them as well as potentially seeing them slapped with a fine.
The offence concerns idling - leaving your engine running when your vehicle is parked - which releases harmful emissions into the air unnecessarily. Not only is it discouraged by many motoring and environment experts for this reason, but it can also land you on the wrong side of the law.
It may be particularly tempting for drivers to leave the engine on while they're waiting in the car to keep warm while out and about in the winter. But it is an offence to leave your engine running when your vehicle is not in motion under Rule 123 of The Highway Code, according to the RAC.
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Local authorities can charge a £20 fixed penalty notice for this under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002, which will double if not fully paid within 28 days, with the charge twice as high in London - and one of the places this is enforced most is outside schools. Research from the RAC found that more than a quarter (26%) of motorists caught out for idling were spotted outside school buildings.
This measure is part of efforts to reduce harmful emissions that could be damaging to children's health, and those on the school run may spot signs up in the area encouraging them to switch off their engines too. The Royal College of Physicians estimates that 40,000 deaths a year in the UK are linked to air pollution, which idling contributes to due to the exhaust fumes released by vehicles.
Whether or not the fines for idling are enforced where you live, the RAC advises drivers to avoid leaving their engines running when parked to avoid wasting fuel - and to do their part to help the environment. "Whether it is outside schools, picking up relatives from stations, or in a car park, we can all do our bit by switching off our engines and reducing our emissions," said RAC roads policy spokesman Nicholas Lyes.
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