Hey Louisiana, Can You Legally Warm Up Your Car on Cold Mornings?

When Louisiana overnight temperatures drop below 60, people start to get the urge to warm up their cars in the morning. There might not be frost on the windshield yet, or ice on the doors, but just for comfort, they want that car warmed up. That's why they bought the remote car start option after all.

However...you might want to think twice. Because according to the law, warming up your car on a crisp Louisiana winter morning might be against the law. The state has had the law on the books for a while too.

It's actually part of the Louisiana Laws Revised Statutes under Title 32, which is Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation. Where Revised Statue 32:145 — Unattended Motor Vehicles says:

"No person driving or in charge of any motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the motor, locking the ignition, removing the key, and effectively setting the brake thereon, and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway."

So what does that mean in English (and not lawyer speak)? It means that you are free to warm your car up as long as you take precautions like having the parking brake set, doors locked, and the car being "attended". That last part is where we might get into some trouble. The law specifically uses the term "unattended", which could be argued prevents someone from remaining inside their home while they let their car warm up in the driveway (or side of the road, or wherever you have it parked). Basically the law says you have to be in or around your car while it warms up.

This isn't a new law either. This Louisiana law didn't creep up on you, because it was written in 1962. Which also means its pretty outdated. How far away from the idea of a remote car starters when this was written? That was basically science fiction in the 1960s.

So is hitting the remote start button on your car while you're still in your pajamas technically against the law in Louisiana? Sure is. However is it likely that a police officer will be writing you a ticket for doing it? No. That doesn't mean that it's a 100% lock that you won't get a ticket for it, there's always a chance as long as the law is still on the books.