Kennewick PD Reminds You Not to Leave Car Running Unattended
I know it's tempting you windshield is covered in ice and it is freezzzing outside so I think I'll just start my car go back inside finish my coffee and when I return my car with be thawed and ready....NOT SO FAST...it is actually illegal to leave your vehicle running and unattended...with one exception
According to a post by the Kennewick Police Department just to clarify here's the real deal:
We appreciate all the feedback however there appears to be some confusion regarding whether or not it is legal to leave a vehicle running while unattended. Our intent of this post was to remind our citizens that you greatly increase your risk of having your car stolen if you leave it running unattended. We do not drive around looking to ticket those who leave their vehicles running however we strongly encourage you to take the necessary precautions to discourage thieves from stealing your car. There is a RCW (state law) that prohibits you from leaving your vehicle running unattended on public streets and a KMC (local law) that allows you to leave your vehicle running on your private property as long as the vehicle is locked. Remote start vehicles are exempt in both cases since you cannot drive the vehicle without inserting a key into the ignition. We hope this clarifies any confusion.
With overnight temperatures predicted to be in the low 30s, we would like to remind you that it is illegal to leave a vehicle running unattended. You could receive a $136 infraction or worse get your vehicle stolen. Locked or unlocked it only takes a thief seconds to drive off with your running vehicle. Scraping your windows and sitting in a cold vehicle for few minutes can save you money and the headache of having to deal with a stolen car.
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