This offense is unknown to a large number of motorists.
What’s worse than being fined for something you didn’t know existed? However, this is the lot of many motorists who, every year, commit offenses without knowing it. It must be said that the Highway Code lists thousands of prohibitions and that it is almost impossible to know them all. Among all the rules of conduct to follow while driving, there is one that is quite vicious because it only concerns stationary cars. And yes, it is possible to be checked and fined by the police before even having made your first laps of the wheel. And quite few motorists know that.
This has absolutely nothing to do with a potentially defective car (broken headlight, illegible license plate, snowy windshield, etc.) or a blood alcohol test. No, this is linked to a habit of certain drivers which tends to develop, particularly in city centers where traffic is often denser.
Who when driving does not see a car parked with its warnings in front of a school, another time at the foot of a building when it is not in front of a tobacconist or a bakery. Most often, the occupant of the car, who knows he is not going to stay long, leaves his engine running. Without knowing, no doubt, that he is committing an offense likely to cost him dearly.
An old order from the Minister of Public Works and Transport dated 1963 prohibits this practice, considered polluting. “Parked vehicles must have their engines stopped, unless necessary,” we can read. Article R318-1 of the Highway Code explains that “motor vehicles must not emit smoke, toxic, corrosive or odorous gases, in conditions likely to inconvenience the population or compromise health and public safety.”
Leaving your engine running when stationary contributes to the emission of gases and fine particles. And this does not, contrary to popular belief, allow you to consume less fuel than if you stopped the engine to restart it. On the other hand, it may be worth receiving a report, as is the case for 2 to 3,000 French motorists each year.
And the bill is particularly steep since the fine for an engine not switched off while parked is 4th class. This corresponds to an amount of 135 euros, 90 if you pay within 3 days if the ticket was delivered by hand or within 15 days if it arrived by mail. Beyond 45 days, its amount can increase up to 375 euros. There is obviously no obligation when the car is in circulation, stopped at a red light for example. There is also an exception which authorizes running the engine when parking, when the motorist does so in periods of extreme cold to start their vehicle. Phew, because this practice is very useful when winter sets in, and with it its freezing temperatures…