Roughly 6.4 billion dollars worth of losses are generated each year as a result of motor vehicle theft. Much of those losses are absorbed by insurance companies. Some though come out of pockets like yours.
There are few things worst than walking outside to find that your vehicle has disappeared. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to lower the odds of you becoming the victim of theft.
Curious to know which vehicle security tips are worth instituting? Looking to invest in theft prevention so you don’t have to pay high premiums to your insurance provider?
If so, we implore you to keep reading and start learning how to keep your car safe.
1. Splurge for an Alarm
One of the first vehicle security measures that most people think of when they’re looking to invest in safety is car alarms. In recent years, car alarms have become less popular as many people see them as devices that cause more inconvenience than good given their sensitivity.
In our estimation, a few false alarms are more than worth deterring an actual theft threat when one comes your way. For that reason, when you’re purchasing your car from a dealer, we recommend taking seriously their offer to install an alarm upon check out, or, that you go to a third party to get an alarm installed.
2. Invest in Auto-locking Doors
The first barrier that protects your car from getting stolen is your car’s door locks. If you forget to lock your car doors when you leave it parked for the night, you’ve just made your vehicle significantly more enticing to bad actors.
Over the last two decades or so, auto-locking doors have become the norm for cars making it easier to circumvent forgetting to lock up. If you’re driving an older car that does not have auto-locking doors, consider investing in getting your locks upgraded.
The expense that upgrade represents pales in comparison to the expense of needing to get a car replaced.
3. Park Off the Street
Not everyone has the luxury of enacting this tip. If you do, we recommend you jump at the chance since your odds of getting your car stolen from your driveway are much lower than having your car lifted from the street.
If you must park your car in the street, be sure to park it in front of your window. That way, if someone is breaking into your car, you’ll have a higher chance of hearing the break-in happen. Note that if you do hear a theft in progress, best practice is to call the police and not intervene to avoid the potential for violence.
4. Box in Your Valuable Cars
For those of you that are sporting valuable cars, even when you park those cars in your driveway, you’re not 100% safe from theft. To increase your odds of safety significantly, box in your valuable car by parking a less sightly car behind it.
That makes it virtually impossible for a thief to make a quick getaway in a vehicle they deem to be worth a lot of money.
5. Use a GPS Device
Many cars have plug-ins on the driver’s side that allow you to input GPS devices. These devices cost around $100 and allow you to easily track your car no matter where on the planet it is.
With a GPS device plugged into your vehicle, so long as a thief doesn’t disengage it, you’ll be able to see where a crook has gone after they’ve lifted your car which can help police quickly recuperate your stolen property.
On a lighter note, GPS devices can also be helpful if you forget where you parked in large lots!
6. Don’t Leave Valuables in Your Car
This car security tip won’t cost you a dime and will steeply lower your chance of victimhood – Don’t leave valuables in your car! If you must, make sure those valuables are hidden so opportunists can’t see them through your windshields.
It’s easy for a thief to catch a glance of a laptop (for example) on a passenger’s seat, smash the window, and run away with it. If they can’t see your laptop, however, very few people will take the chance of vandalizing your car in hopes that you have something hidden away.
7. Get a Good Insurance Policy
No matter how many vehicle security tips you implement, you may still be the victim of theft or vandalism. Because of that, as this article on vehicle security will support, you never want to be without a good insurance policy.
Armed with insurance, no matter what happens to your car, you’ll be able to affordably recover whatever damages you incur. That can be a big deal if your $30,000+ vehicle vanishes from your driveway.
When you get an insurance policy to cover your car, make sure you discuss with your agent what’s covered at what isn’t. The last thing you want is to think your property is secure only to find out later that your cut-rate coverage didn’t have you covered.
Keep Learning About and Investing in Vehicle Security
Vehicle security is a broad topic. Furthermore, discussions on it are getting updates as vehicles and theft tactics become more sophisticated.
Continue to learn more about vehicle security so you can enable yourself to be as prepared as possible to protect the property that you’ve invested your money in.
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