The warning comes as Ireland braces for a winter chill, with temperatures set to plunge below 0C and widespread frost and ice expected in the coming days
16:23, 03 Jan 2026Updated 16:24, 03 Jan 2026
A Garda car in the snow(Image: X/gardatraffic)
Ireland is bracing itself for severely cold weather this week, with icy conditions, sub-zero nights and snow showers forecast.
Met Éireann has warned that temperatures will barely climb above 0C, with widespread frost and ice anticipated throughout much of the nation. For countless drivers, this means waking up to frost-covered windscreens each morning.
However, gardaí have now issued a fresh warning regarding a popular method motorists use to defrost their vehicles, which they are strongly advising against. Certain people fire up their engines and leave the vehicle idling whilst stepping indoors to warm themselves.
Whilst it might appear innocent, doing this can result in severe penalties, with fines spanning from €1,000 to €2,000, and in certain circumstances, up to three months’ imprisonment if apprehended by gardaí. According to Irish law, leaving a vehicle unattended with the engine operating, even to utilise the heating system, is prohibited.
Regulation 87 of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 establishes it as 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 verified the penalties, noting that enforcement remains at the discretion of gardaí, reports the Irish Mirror.
The penalties, detailed in 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 event of a second offence (or a third or subsequent such offence other than an offence referred to in the next paragraph), a fine of up to €2,000 can be imposed.
(c) For a third or subsequent offence within any period of twelve consecutive months, a fine of up to €2,000 can be levied, or at the court’s discretion, up to three months imprisonment, or both a fine and imprisonment.
In addition to these legal implications, AA Ireland also cautions that leaving your vehicle running unattended makes it an attractive prospect for thieves. A warning on its website states: “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.”
This cautionary advice has been reiterated this week via a post on the An Garda Siochana Meath Facebook page, which encourages drivers to reconsider this common winter practice. The post advises: “It looks like the frosty mornings may be back, so please heed our advice: Don’t leave your vehicle unattended whilst defrosting with your engine running!
“On a freezing cold morning it’s tempting to switch your car engine on and leave the keys in the ignition and wait inside your home while your car is heating up. Your car will be an easy target for opportunistic criminals. It only takes a few seconds for your vehicle to be taken from a driveway or outside your homes.”
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