Is letting your vehicle warm up illegal in Wisconsin?
You may have read news stories about people getting tickets for letting their vehicles idle in their driveways this winter. Is letting your vehicle warm up illegal in Wisconsin? It’s called vehicle idling, and we have your answers including some idling laws for neighboring states.
Does Wisconsin have any laws against idling your vehicle?
The state of Wisconsin has no laws on the books regarding idling your vehicle. So feel free to warm that vehicle up. The municipality of Madison does have some laws against idling, but only specifically for large trucks.
With that said though, the Madison law can only give you a citation for idling lasting longer than 15 minutes and only when the outside temp is between 40°F and 80°F. So in winter, and even in the intense heat of summer, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
Read More: Are tire studs and chains legal in Wisconsin?
Do neighboring states have idling laws?
Minnesota has no statewide vehicle-idling laws, but the city of Owatonna has some restrictions as does the city of St. Cloud on certain streets. Illinois has a statewide ban on vehicle idling, with Cook County having more specific regulations.
Michigan has no laws against idling, but interestingly enough, Michigan has received the most press for issuing these tickets. So far, the tickets have held up in court, but the appeals process is still ongoing. The EPA keeps track of all these laws, and you can view a complete list of all laws by state here:
Compilation of State Idling Regulations
Why would it be illegal to idle your vehicle at all?
There are several reasons why some states do make laws against idling your vehicle. One reason is simply to prevent pollution.
This actually has some flawed logic behind it though, as your vehicle actually pollutes more when the engine is cold, so driving around with a cold engine may actually cause more pollution.
Read More: How to prepare your car’s fluids for winter
Plus, not letting your vehicle warm up before driving it can lead to premature engine failure which means the car will be junked sooner, and a car at the end of its life cycle is actually a big pollutant. However, this does not excuse idling for the sake of laziness, which is what most laws specifically seem to be targeting.
The other more sensible reason for idling laws is to prevent vehicle theft. Typically, you would think that stealing a car should be entirely the fault of the thief, but when drivers make it easy for a car to get stolen, they actually put the public in danger. Most high-speed police chases are the result of a stolen vehicle. Take care when idling your vehicle, regardless of laws. No one wants a stolen vehicle on their hands.
2017-2018 snowmobile trails in Fond du Lac County
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