Parents on school run could be fined for common driving habit that 'harms' kids

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Anyone who drops off or picks up their children at school has been reminded of a certain car rule that many are guilty of breaking this time of year.The early starts in the morning might mean you've had to put the car heating on full blast to get rid of any ice and get warm quickly.Or if you're waiting in the car for your children to come out, you might be tempted to keep your vehicle running so that the heating keeps going - but this should never be done when you're near a school due to the air pollution it causes.The Liverpool Echo reports that leaving the engine on while stationary and wasting unnecessary fuel is also known as idling.Not only does it harm your wallet, but it also has a harmful impact on the environment.

If drivers in Scotland are caught doing this and don't comply they could be slapped with a fixed penalty notice of £20.Idling is forbidden around schools because of the harmful emissions it releases into the air, and also because it can really damage children's health if they're exposed to it too often.

Instead of leaving the engine running to keep warm, drivers are being urged to wrap up in hats, scarves and gloves and stay cosy that way.It comes as new research by Quotezone.co.uk found 11% of drivers fail to turn off their engines while waiting outside school.Quotezone.co.uk founder Greg Wilson said: "It can be tempting to leave the engine running during the colder, darker months but drivers need to be aware that by running their engines, they are wasting fuel and potentially damaging the health of the school children who may be breathing in harmful fumes."Vehicle emissions are especially harmful for kids as they breathe more rapidly than adults and therefore take in more pollution.