WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Did you know that leaving your car running and unattended while in public here in Texas could land you in trouble with the law?
Whether you want to keep your car warm — or you're taking a few minutes to run into the store — leaving your car idling and unattended in a public area could cost you in more ways than one.
What’s commonly known as "Puffing" is not only a Class C misdemeanor in Texas— reports show that could cost you upwards of $500 in citations but it could lead to your vehicle being stolen.
“So we do take it seriously. It is something that we need to address. Now sometimes that can be handled through a conversation with the operator if they’re getting out of the car and they’re leaving that vehicle unattended — we can prevent from anything bad happening upfront or in other times we might issue a citation" SGT. Casey Sheppard with the Temple Police Department's Traffic Unit said.
He said they "frequently" see unattended running vehicles that lead to vehicle thefts.
Nearly a quarter million vehicles were stolen from 2017 through 2019 across the country with their keys left inside according to an updated report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
During this period, Texas ranked in the top five with the most thefts.
Anti-puffing laws have been on the books for years and are not only designed to help prevent crimes but also to better protect our air quality.
Here's what you should know:
SGT. Sheppard recommends using a remote start for your vehicle — which is legal and an ok way to keep your vehicle idling — or make sure your idling vehicle is secure like in a fenced-in area which helps reduce the risk of theft.
