The common habit will be used by many over the coming days
Gardai at a checkpoint (Image: An Garda Siochana)
Ireland is bracing for a spell of brutally cold weather this week, with icy conditions, sub-zero nights and snowfall anticipated.
Met Eireann has cautioned that temperatures will struggle to climb above 0C, with extensive frost and ice forecast throughout much of the nation.
For countless motorists, this means confronting a frost-laden windscreen come morning, and Gardaí have now issued a fresh warning regarding a typical method drivers attempt to defrost their vehicles, which they are strongly advising against.
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Certain individuals fire up their engines and leave the motor ticking over whilst popping indoors to get warm.
Whilst it might appear innocent enough, this practice can result in severe penalties, with fines spanning from €1,000 to €2,000, and in certain instances, up to three months behind bars if apprehended by the Gardaí.
According to Irish legislation, abandoning a vehicle unattended with the engine operational, even to utilise the heating system, constitutes an offence.
Regulation 87 of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 renders it unlawful to leave a motor vehicle unattended on a public thoroughfare, “unless the engine of the vehicle is not running”.
A representative for the Department of Transport previously verified the sanctions to the Irish Mirror, noting that enforcement remains at Gardaí discretion.
The sanctions, detailed in Section 102 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, are:
(a) in the case of a first offence, to a fine of up to € 1,000,
(b) in the case of a second offence (or of a third or subsequent such offence other than an offence referred to in the next paragraph) to a fine of up to € 2,000, and.
(c) in the case of a third or subsequent offence in any period of twelve consecutive months – to a fine of up to € 2,000 or, at the discretion of the court, to up to three months imprisonment or to both a fine and imprisonment.
Apart from the legal consequences, AA Ireland also cautions that abandoning your motor whilst it’s ticking over transforms it into a prime target for criminals.
A statement on their website declares: “Once you put the key in the ignition, stay by your car at all times. Car thieves love an icy morning, and every winter, cars are stolen while their owners go inside for warmth, waiting for their car to defrost. It’s actually an offence to leave your car unattended with the engine running. You’ve been warned.”
This guidance has been echoed this week through a message on the An Garda Síochána Meath Facebook page, which encouraged motorists to reconsider before partaking in this widespread winter practice.
The post states: “It looks like the frosty mornings may be back, so please heed our advice: Don’t leave your vehicle unattended whilst defrosting with your engine running!
“On a freezing cold morning it’s tempting to switch your car engine on and leave the keys in the ignition and wait inside your home while your car is heating up. Your car will be an easy target for opportunistic criminals. It only takes a few seconds for your vehicle to be taken from a driveway or outside your homes.”
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