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 though you take all the numerous precautions to prevent auto theft when you travel, very determined professional car thieves can still take any vehicle if they want it badly enough. Do you remember the action movie Gone In 60 Seconds that starred Nicolas Cage? However, you still can really reduce the chances of becoming a victim of auto theft to near zero.
Almost all of these auto theft preventative measures are common sense and will cost nothing to do. So it may make a lot of sense to implement them not only when you travel by car on your holidays, but also in your every day driving.
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 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 could also be after your vehicle documents for identity theft purposes, or they could be contemplating robbing your residence while you are away on holiday. Where would they get this important info? From the car registration and auto insurance papers which are usually put 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 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.
Make sure you always close your vehicles windows tightly and lock your car each time you leave it parked, even if its only for just short period of time.
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 valuables in your vehicle, even if they cant be seen from the outside of your car. If possible, you should 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 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.
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 places at dusk and at night, always park in a well lighted area that has a lot of pedestrian traffic. Keep in mind that most auto thieves prefer to work under the cover of darkness.
If possible, avoid parking next or near to any obstruction, such as a large truck, fence, hedge, or anything that blocks an unobstructed 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 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 can use an easily visible after-market steering wheel lock bar. Most car thieves will likely move on to easier prey/greener pastures. Other less visible after-market products are gas pedal locks, brake pedal locks, or armored collars that fit around the steering column which protects the ignition. For the manual shift vehicles you can also use after-market shifter locks. These items are 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 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, check to make sure you have adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel by car on any vacation.
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