A common winter habit could have serious legal and safety consequences
17:36, 22 Nov 2025Updated 17:37, 22 Nov 2025
Frost covers the windscreen of a car (file photo)(Image: PA)
Ireland has been gripped by bitterly cold weather this week, with Met Eireann warning that frost, ice, fog and even the rare possibility of thundersnow could persist throughout the weekend.
With overnight temperatures getting icier in recent days, many drivers will be faced with frost-covered windscreens in the mornings. However, motorists have been warned that one common method of defrosting cars could land them in serious trouble with the law. Some drivers leave their cars running while they step inside to warm up, waiting for the vehicle to heat. But doing so could result in fines ranging from €1,000 to €2,000, or even up to three months in jail, if caught by Gardaí.
Under Irish law, leaving a car unattended with the engine running, even to use the heating, is illegal. Regulation 87 of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 makes it an offence to leave a vehicle unattended on a public road, “unless the engine of the vehicle is not running”.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport previously confirmed the penalties to the Irish Mirror, noting that enforcement is at the discretion of Gardaí.
The penalties for this offence, provided by Section 102 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, are:
(a) in the case of a first offence, to a fine of up to € 1,000,(b) in the case of a second offence (or of a third or subsequent such offence other than an offence referred to in the next paragraph) to a fine of up to € 2,000, and(c) in the case of a third or subsequent offence in any period of twelve consecutive months – to a fine of up to € 2,000 or, at the discretion of the court, to up to three months imprisonment or to both a fine and imprisonment.
Beyond the legal risks, AA Ireland also warns that leaving your vehicle running unattended makes it an easy target for thieves, the Irish Mirror reports. A notice on its website reads: “Once you put the key in the ignition, stay by your car at all times. Car thieves love an icy morning and every winter cars are stolen while their owners go inside for warmth waiting for their car to defrost. It’s actually an offence to leave your car unattended with the engine running. You’ve been warned.”