1. When arriving at the hospital for a birth on Shabbat, according to the letter of the law, a Jew may not turn off the car, since the car is no longer needed for the pikuach nefesh purpose of driving there. Ideally, a non-Jew should be asked to turn off the car. However, if that is not possible, a Jew may turn it off and remove the keys from the car because allowing the engine to continue running could be a danger for various reasons. In such a case, it is best to turn off the car with a shinui, if at all possible (The Halachos of Pregnancy, p.45; Sefer Puah, vol.3, p.267). Turning off the lights should only be done by a non-Jew, as there is generally no danger in leaving the lights on (Torat Hayoledet 20:4).

2. Once the car has been closed and locked (also preferably with a non-Jew, if done by pressing a button; otherwise, one should manually lock the door), the keys become muktzeh, as they are no longer needed for the delivery, and they also may not be carried alone if no eruv exists around the hospital. The best thing to do is before walking away from the car, try to move the keys in an unusual manner into a bag or suitcase that also contains items that are permissible/needed for Shabbat use or the birth. This way, the bag or suitcase becomes a “basis l’davar ha’assur v’hamutar” for permitted and forbidden items and may be moved if the permitted items are more valuable or necessary, as discussed previously.

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for everlasting peace in Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.