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 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 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 solution is to eliminate this possibly by keeping these documents on your person at all times when traveling on holidays.
The second best way is to reduce this problem by hiding these documents really well in the trunk of your car. Some police forces in cities that have high auto theft crime incidents recommend this. Remember to tell everyone who is traveling with you where these documents are hidden 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 to leave it idling while unattended. Under no circumstance should you ever do this. Don’t even think about it.
Similarly, do not leave your vehicles keys in the ignition or hidden anywhere in car, including a second set of keys. Car thieves can easily find the keys hidden in the usual places very quickly. Keep another set of keys with you.
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 but to leave valuables in your vehicle, at least make sure that they are locked inside your trunk. When you do this, check first and look around to make sure that nobody is watching, or better still, stop, pull over, and put them in your trunk before you arrive at your intended destination. Prying eyes can be anywhere.
When you park your car in public areas, turn you front wheels either to the right or left before turning your ignition off. This engages the steering wheel lock mechanism located in the steering wheel column which could make your vehicle somewhat more difficult to steal.
By engaging the emergency brake after you have parked and turned the motor off, you 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 don’t need any other keys for your vehicle.
In public areas near dusk and at night, always park in well lit places that have a lot of pedestrian traffic. Keep in mind that most auto thieves 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’re staying in a place that has secured, gated parking, be certain that the gate has completely closed after entering or leaving so that a thief does not sneak in to the parking area where you are 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 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 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 easily do is to have your mechanic install a hood lock that will prevent easy access to your vehicles battery and security system.
A loud vehicle alarm system with a very visible alarm sticker on your windshield could be worth its weight in gold particularly when combined with a number of these 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, you should make sure you have enough insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel on vacation.
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Tags: auto insurance, auto thefts, autos, car insurance, car rentals, car thefts, Cars, Holidays, identity theft, road travel, road trips, Travel, Vacations
