During the second half of January, overnight low temperatures in the Grand Valley have dipped into the single digits several times. Lows of 4 degrees and 5 degrees in Grand Junction on January 20th and 21st resulted in very cold mornings, which may have required you to scrape your windshield.

Read More: Look: 5 of the Coldest Days in Western Colorado History

It's easy to understand why some people might want to start their car and go back inside on a winter morning like these, but in Colorado, that is against the law. Now, there are exceptions...

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Warming Up Your Car in Colorado

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Colorado Revised Statute 42-4-1206, sometimes called the 'puffer law,' prevents residents from warming up their cars unattended. If your vehicle's engine is idling for more than five minutes in a sixty-minute window, that's puffing.

Making it against the law to leave your unlocked vehicle running while unattended has also helped reduce vehicle theft in a major way.

Read More: What Are Some of the Laws Colorado Drivers Constantly Break?

Puffing Can Be Expensive

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The state-wide puffer law generally prevents the need for additional local restrictions. An officer who spots a puffing vehicle in a Grand Junction neighborhood could write you a ticket for $50, more if you keep it up. As a person who gets up early for the workday, I see more than a few cars running with nobody in them in my neighborhood. Be careful y’all.

Read More: New Colorado Law Bans Holding A Phone While Driving

Exceptions and Remotes

Colorado can be a very cold state. You really cannot warm up your car in the morning? Well, there is a remote start. This option is included on several cars in 2025 but it can be added for a fee. Since the vehicle remains locked, this method of warming up your car is allowed throughout the state.

Depending on where you live the law may or may not apply if your car is on a private driveway.

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LOOK: 6 Reasons Drivers Flash Their Headlights at You in Colorado

There are several reasons drivers in Colorado use their high-beam headlights for something other than seeing at night. We're taking a closer look at six different examples of why some drivers might flash their headlights, and what they could be trying to signal to you.

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Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

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