JANUARY 19, 2018 BY
The local Spare the Air educational campaign – sponsored by dozens of organizations and businesses in the Yampa Valley – encourages you to limit your vehicle idling time to 30 seconds.
Here are some FACTS to consider:
- 1 minute of idling produces more carbon monoxide than 3 packs of cigarettes.
- Idling wastes more fuel than turning off and on a vehicle engine. Idling for just 5 minutes a day can waste 1-2 tanks of gas per year.
- Mechanics and car companies agree that excessive idling is hard on a vehicle’s engine because it is not working at peak operating temperatures. The best way to warm your engine is to drive away gently.
- Exposure to vehicle exhaust increases the risk of death from heart and lung disease and lung cancer. Air pollution is especially tough on children as it damages developing lungs and worsens asthma.
- Modern fuel-injected engines, both gasoline and diesel, need no more than 30 seconds of idling on cold days.
How YOU can help:
- Pledge to limit vehicle warm-up time to less than 5 minutes even on the coldest mornings by grabbing your coat and utilizing best practices to clear windshields before turning the key.
- Abide by the Colorado law that prohibits leaving an unattended vehicle idling.
- Remind delivery vendors to abide by the 2011 Colorado law that limits idling of diesel engine vehicles above 14,000 pounds to 5 minutes per hour.
For more information, visit
Watch a great 6-minute educational video at www.fcgov.com/breatheeasy
