In these difficult financial times most folks need vacations more than ever. And people also want to save a lot of money if they can. One economical solution is to take the family car and drive to and from your holiday destination instead of flying.
If you plan to drive, it may also make sense to take some steps to protect yourself and family from car theft. Having some car thief steal your car, luggage, or other items of value from your trunk could really put a damper on what was supposed to be a fun-filled and enjoyable trip.
Even if you take all of the numerous precautions to prevent auto theft when you travel, very determined professional car thieves can still manage to steal any vehicle if they want it badly enough. Can you remember the car theft action movie Gone In 60 Seconds starring Nicolas Cage? However, you can still dramatically reduce the odds of becoming a victim of auto theft to almost zero.
Most of these auto theft preventative measures are common sense and will you cost nothing to do. So why not make it a habit of implementing them not only when you travel by car on your holidays, but also in your every day driving as well?
First, to start with, you should never take for granted that you are immune from auto theft when traveling, or that your vehicle is not worth stealing.
Keep in mind that sometimes these thieves are after more than your vehicle, luggage, or any valuables that might be in your car. They may only want an older car to take a joy ride in or steal it for its parts.
They might also be after your vehicle documents for identity theft, or they could be contemplating robbing your residence while you are away on holidays. Where would they find this important information? From the auto registration and car insurance papers which are usually located conveniently in the vehicles glove compartment.
The best way is to eliminate this problem is to keep these documents on your person at all times when traveling on your vacation.
The second best way is to reduce the problem by hiding these documents really well in the trunk. Some police forces in high auto theft crime areas of cities recommend this. Don’t forget to tell everyone who is traveling with you where these documents are located in the trunk.
Here are some more ways you can lessen the chance of having your holidays ruined by car thieves. If you can manage to implement a number of these suggestions, you can dramatically lessen the odds of becoming another victim of auto theft when you travel.
Close all of your vehicles windows tightly and lock all the doors when you park it anywhere, even if its only for a minute or two.
A real invitation to lose your vehicle is leaving it idling and unattended. Its just not cool to do it. Don’t even think about doing it.
Similarly, you should not leave your vehicles keys in the ignition or hidden anywhere in car. That also includes a second set of keys. Professional car thieves can easily find any keys hidden in the usual places very quickly. Keep an extra set of keys on your person.
Do not leave any thing of value in your vehicle, even if they cant be seen from the outside of your car. If you can, take them with you.
However, if you have no choice and have to leave valuables in your vehicle, make sure that they are locked in your trunk. When you do this, look around and make sure that no one is watching what you’re doing, or better still stop, pull over, and put them in your trunk before you arrive at your destination. Prying eyes may be anywhere.
When parking your vehicle in public areas, turn you front wheels either to the left or right before turning your ignition off. This will engage the steering wheel locking mechanism in the steering column which can make your car a little more difficult to steal.
You should always engage the emergency brake after you have parked and turned the motor off. This may also make your vehicle harder to tow away.
For front wheel and rear wheel drive vehicles you should park them differently when in an underground parking garage. The front wheel drive autos should be parked with the nose in and rear wheel drives with the nose out. Then turn your tires to the left or right. Again, this may make your vehicle harder to tow away.
It is always better to park in an attendant supervised parking lot rather than an unattended one. If its a place or lot where there is valet parking, just give the attendant your door and ignition key. They do not need any other keys on your key chain.
In public places around dusk and at night, always park in well lit areas that have a lot of pedestrian traffic. Keep in mind that most auto thieves prefer to work at night.
If you can, avoid parking near or next to any obstruction, such as a hedge, fence, large truck, or anything that blocks a clear view of your vehicle to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
When you are staying in a place that has gated, secure parking, be sure that the gate has completely closed after entering or leaving so that a thief doesn’t sneak in to the parking area behind your vehicle.
If you happen to see any suspicious activity such as a person or group of people hanging around or near your vehicle you should call the police.
Here are a number of anti-theft devices that can be installed for maximum protection. You might have a few of these products already installed in your vehicle.
You can use a very visible after-market steering wheel locking bar. Most car thieves will likely move on to easier prey/greener pastures. Other less visible after-market products are locks for gas pedals, brake pedals, as well as armored collars that fit around the steering column which protects the ignition. For any manual shift vehicles you can also use an after-market shifter lock. These are effective but not highly visible to prying eyes.
Another thing that you can do is have your mechanic install a hood lock that will prevent easy access to your vehicles battery including the security system.
A loud vehicle alarm system and a highly visible alarm sticker on your windshield is worth its weight in gold especially when its combined with the addition of some of the other anti-theft security options.
The best vehicle protection is a passive electronic immobilizer that disables the motor when the ignition is turned off. Its not an inexpensive device to get installed but is well worth it for your peace of mind. There are more benefits you may receive by installing an electronic immobilizer in your car. A number of auto insurance companies will offer a discount on your policy if you can produce documentation that you have had one installed. You may also get more money for your vehicle if you sell it down the road.
Last, but not least, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel on a vacation.
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