by Dorothy Yamich
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 are planning to drive, it may also make sense to take a few steps to protect yourself and family from auto thieves. Having a car thief steal your car, your luggage, other items of value in your trunk could really wreck what was supposed to be a fun filled and relaxing trip.
Even by taking all the numerous precautions to prevent auto theft when you travel, very determined professional car thieves can still manage to take any vehicle if they want it bad enough. Did you see the movie Gone In 60 Seconds starring Nicolas Cage? However, you can still dramatically lessen 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?
Firstly, you should never take it for granted that you are immune from car thieves when traveling, or that your vehicle is not really worth stealing.
Keep in mind that sometimes these thieves might be after more than just your vehicle, luggage, or any valuables that might be inside your car or trunk. They may only want an older car to joy ride in, or take it to sell its parts.
They may also be after your vehicle documents for identity theft purposes, or they could be thinking of robbing your residence while you are away on vacation. Where would they get this important information? From the vehicle registration and auto insurance papers which are usually conveniently located in the glove compartment.
The best solution is to eliminate this problem by keeping these documents on your person at all times while traveling on your holidays.
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. Dont forget to tell everyone who is traveling with you where these documents are located in the trunk.
Here are some other ways you can lessen the odds of having your holidays disrupted by car thieves. If you can manage to implement a number of these suggestions, you will dramatically lessen the chances of being a victim of auto theft when you travel.
Make sure you always shut you cars windows tightly and lock your car on every occasion you leave it parked, even if it is only for a minute or two.
A real invitation to lose your vehicle is to leave it idling and unattended. You should never, never do it. Not even for even a minute.
Similarly, dont leave your vehicles keys in the ignition or hidden anywhere in car. That includes a second set of keys. Car thieves will easily find any keys hidden in the usual places very quickly. Keep an extra set of keys with you.
Dont leave any valuables in your vehicle, even if they can not be seen from the outside of your car. If possible, take them with you.
However, if you must leave valuables in your vehicle, make sure that they are locked up inside your trunk. When you do this, look around to make sure that no one is watching what you do, or better still stop, pull over, and put them in your trunk before you arrive at the place youre going. Prying eyes could 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.
Engaging the emergency brake after you have parked and turned the motor off may also make your vehicle harder to tow away.
For front wheel and rear wheel drive vehicles you should park them somewhat differently when in an underground garage. Front wheel drive autos should be parked nose in and the rear wheel drives, nose out. Then just turn your tires to the left or right. Again, this may make your car harder to tow.
It is always best to park in an attendant operated parking lot rather than an unattended one. If its a lot or place that has valet parking, only let the attendant have your door and ignition key. They dont need any other keys for your vehicle.
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 stay in a place that has gated, secured parking, make sure that the gate has completely closed after entering or leaving so that a thief doesnt sneak in to the parking area where youre staying.
If you see any suspicious activity such as someone or a group of people loitering near your vehicle you should call the police.
Here are some anti-theft devices that you can install for maximum protection. You may already have a few of these products installed in your vehicle.
You should use a highly visible after-market steering wheel lock bar. Most car thieves will likely move on to easier prey. Other less visible after-market anti-theft products are gas pedal locks, brake pedal locks, and armored collars that fit around the steering column which protects the ignition. And for the manual shift vehicles you can also use an after-market shifter lock. These products are all effective but not as 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 which disables the motor when you turn off the ignition. Its not an inexpensive device to have installed but its well worth it for your peace of mind. There are other benefits you may receive when you install an electronic immobilizer in your car. Some auto insurance companies will offer a discount on your policy if you can show documentation that youve had one installed. You also could get more money for your vehicle if you decide to sell it down the road.
Last, but not least, check to make sure you have adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel by car on any vacation.