The unnecessary idling of vehicles — particularly those with diesel engines — contributes significantly to dangerous air pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and fine particulate matter. Vehicle exhaust contains many known carcinogens, asthmagens, endocrine disruptors and neurotoxins. These toxins affect everyone, especially children, pregnant women, the elderly, or those with already-compromised health.

Local village, town or city ordinances limiting or prohibiting idling can be enforced by local police departments. Many of the municipal policies we found in towns and cities across the country were simple and straightforward, like the one below:

"No person shall cause or permit the engine of a motor vehicle, other than a legally authorized emergency motor vehicle, to idle for longer than two minutes within the village (town, city) unless the engine is used to operate a loading, unloading or processing device, or when the ambient temperature is below freezing, or when federal, state or local agency regulations require the maintenance of a specific temperature for passenger comfort."