Photos show vehicles parked along the road without their drivers. The MoI in a series of tweet has warned against motorists leaving their cars while engines are running. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
Doha: A quick trip to the grocery store while your car engine is running might seem like the right thing to do, especially in a congested parking commercial area, but such unworthy road behaviors can lead to crime, traffic accidents and an inconvenience to other road users.
Many motorists have become accustomed to this behaviour, which sometimes causes congestion on streets and also incidence of theft of valuable items such as laptops, phones and money in the vehicle.
This action is common in most commercial streets, where parking lots are less, which inadvertently encourages drivers to leave their cars running with the excuse that their destination is close by.
In a recent tweet, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) urged citizens and residents alike to avoid leaving valuable items in their cars without taking adequate safety measures. The ministry also advised the public to take the necessary preventive measures to secure their cars from theft, by following safety instructions, including provisions for closing the car and not leaving the valuable items visible inside the car.
“Do not leave money or valuable items on display in your car. Your awareness of safety measures plays an important role in crime prevention,” the ministry tweeted.
The MoI recently, also warned road users to desist from leaving their cars in non-designated areas while the engine is still running as it encourages weak-minded individuals to commit crimes.
“Leaving the car engine running and getting off it for any reason, even if only for a short time, is contrary to traffic regulations and may expose you to the risk of crimes or traffic accidents.
“Please be alert to secure your money and valuable belongings. Keeping them out of the sight of the weak-minded enhances your security and protects you from theft and burglary,” the ministry added
Earlier, the MoI arrested several gangs who engage in stealing valuables from cars after breaking their windows.
While some argue that the ministry’s warnings are well noted and appreciated, others claim that the reason for this behavior is the inadequate parking spaces especially in the commercial streets.
“The problem is the limit of parking spaces, as most of the streets always witness traffic jam. Looking for a parking spot takes time, and this is what makes us leave the car engine running,” said a motorist Ibraheem.
Another motorist Maya, pointed out that drivers still leave their cars running without them in them even in open spaces.
“Unfortunately, it is a habit that many people have become accustomed to even in open places despite the availability of parking spaces. Some stop their cars to talk to friends in a store, and sit with them for some time and leave the car engine running.
“People who have lost their money or valuable items in their vehicles without being safety conscious should be responsible for that and must blame only themselves,” she said.
Though automobile companies have improved anti-theft systems, and a much improved systems to locate stolen cars with installed GPS tracker, it is advisable to respect traffic rules and be responsible road users.
