4 Reasons to stop Idling
Idling means that you are leaving a vehicles engine running unnecessarily whilst it is stationary. 60% of UK drivers were unaware that sitting in a stationary vehicle while leaving the engine running is illegal.
Idling is an issue for both pedestrians and drivers alike, being harmful to the health of people, the planet and your business.
Diesel vehicles in particular are thought to be one of the biggest contributors to the problem.
The following are 4 reasons to stop idling in your vehicle:
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It is illegal
Leaving an engine idling is an offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
The act enforces rule 123 of the Highway Code, which states that “You must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while the vehicle is stationary on a public road.”
Local authorities in the UK currently have the power to fine drivers for doing this.
Drivers can face fines of up to £80 after a continuing offence, meaning they will be fined if they fail to turn off their engine by being spoken to by a warden.
According to a survey by the RAC, 44% of members surveyed said that they support handing out fines to those who refuse to turn off their vehicles.
Over half of those surveyed (55%) also expressed concern about the impact vehicle emissions have on the environment and public health.
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It is harmful to the environment
Idling for just 10 seconds wastes more fuel than restarting the engine, and every 10 minutes equals one pound of carbon dioxide. An idling diesel lorry burns approximately one gallon of fuel per hour.
Not only are you wasting petrol, you are doing avoidable damage to the environment. To further put it into context, a car idling for 10 minutes uses as much fuel as it takes to travel 5 miles.
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It’s bad for your engine
Idling for extended periods of time can also have a negative impact on your engine. Many people incorrectly believe that turning your engine off and on is worse for your vehicle than idling.
While it may affect your batteries life, the wear and tear it causes is minimal and should not be a reason to idle instead.
Idling can also cause spark plugs to become dirtier more quickly. This may result in an increase in fuel consumption by 4 to 5 percent.
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Its harmful to people
On average, men on a school run were 50% more likely to leave the engine running than women, and one in three children in the UK breathes unsafe levels of air pollution.
Idling fumes can lead to a number of major health concerns.
How can Cambrian help?
We offer a range of telematics devices to accommodate any type or size of fleet. Our devices not only give live updates of the locations of your vehicles but also give individual drivers a score based on their driving performance.
Fleet managers receive information on speeding, harsh cornering, braking and idling. This information can be used to incentivise better driving standards. Lowering emissions is both beneficial to your fuel bills and enhances your corporate brand.
Our monitoring software is accessible through an online portal, which is also available in a mobile app version. Alerts can be set up that will inform you should any incident occur, and historical data relating journeys and driving performance can be stored for up to 3 years.
Useful links:
To find out more about our fuel cards click here – https://www.cambriancards.com/fuel-cards
To learn more about our telematics devices click here – https://www.cambriancards.com/telematics
To read the official GOV.UK guidance, click here.