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<br />The Facts about Car Idling <br />The following information and recommendations are compiled from the U.S. Environmental <br />Protection Agency (www.eua.gov). <br />An idling car is one that is not being driven but whose engine is still running. Idling is often <br />unavoidable in traffic, but voluntary idling occurs when cars are left running while parked, <br />standing, or waiting in drive-through lines. People often don't realize that idling has several <br />negative effects on health, the environment, and themselves: <br />Air Pollution <br />Voluntary idling increases the amount of preventable pollution released into our air. Cars <br />produce. several air pollutants that contribute to environmental problems such as urban <br />smog, air toxics, and climate change, and health problems such as asthma, respiratory and <br />heart disease. Children are especially vulnerable to air pollution because they breathe <br />twice as much as adults. <br />• .Wasted Fuel and Money <br />Idling wastes fuel and money. ALL cars, trucks, and SWs get 0 mpg while idling, <br />regardless of their fuel efficiency while driving. Larger vehicles usually waste more fuel <br />than smaller ones. <br />• Engine Wear-and-Tear <br />Idling for long periods, especially in cold weather, can actually cause excessive wear or <br />even damage the engine. <br />MYTH: Restarting the engine uses more gas and causes more pollution than idling. <br />FACT: Modern engines require much less fuel at startup than most people think. Idling <br />for only 30 seconds uses up more fuel than restarting the engine. If you expect to idle for <br />more than 30 seconds, turn off the. engine and then restart (except in traffic, of course). <br />You will save fuel and prevent pollution by avoiding long idles. For example, instead of <br />idling in bank and restaurant drive-through lines, park your car and go inside. <br />MYTH: Engines need to warm up with a long idle period, especially in cold weather. <br />FACT: Modern cars need little warm-up time and are most efficient when being driven. <br />Engines require no more than 30 seconds of warming-up, followed by driving at <br />moderate speed for the first few minutes. In fact, idling in cold weather causes excessive <br />wear on the engine. <br />