More drivers leaving parked vehicles with engines running

More drivers are leaving the engines of their parked vehicles running despite it being an offence, reported The Straits Times.

In the last three years, about 12,000 motorists have been issued advisories, warnings or offers of composition, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said yesterday. The total works out to 4,000 a year, far more than the 360 in 2012, he noted. Of the 12,000 cases, 24 drivers had their offences compounded for $70, double the number between 2009 and 2012, an NEA spokesman said.

But the jump, Mr. Masagos said, was due to increased complaints and stepped-up enforcement by the National Environment Agency (NEA). He added, "Leaving the engine running when the vehicle is stationary results in fuel wastage and unnecessary environmental pollution."

Under Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) regulations, which dates back to 1999, a driver can be fined up to $2,000 the first time and up to $5,000 for subsequent offences.

Mr. Masagos said some drivers perceived, albeit wrongly, that they needed to warm up their engines before driving off, to get better fuel efficiency or help the engines last longer. But new technology has changed that, he added. "Vehicle manufacturers we have consulted say that engines warm up faster to reach the optimal temperature when the vehicle is driven at moderate speeds on starting," he said, "so I hope we'll move away from the old habits."