Did you know July is National Vehicle Theft Prevention month? Over 800,000 vehicles were stolen in 2020, costing car owners over $7 billion. That's one vehicle stolen every 39 seconds!
Car thieves look for easy targets. Taking a long time to steal a car increases their chances of getting caught. There will always be a risk of theft when parking your car in a public place (and even your own driveway), but there are some safety measures you can take to make your vehicle more difficult to steal.
Five Ways to Protect Your Car from Thieves
- Lock your doors! This one seems obvious, but drivers often forget to lock their doors, or they think there's no need to lock their doors because they're parking in a "safe" area. Even if you're parking your car in your own driveway in a neighborhood with an extremely low crime rate, you need to lock your doors anytime you're not in the car.
- Never leave your keys in the car. Most vehicles has push to start buttons now, and it can be easy to misplace your key fob or even forget it in your car once you park. Don't get out of your vehicle until you have your keys or key fob in hand.
- Don't leave valuable items in your car. While your entire vehicle may not be stolen, leaving a purse or other valuable items in plain sight invites potential thieves to break into your car to steal your valuables. This also applies to anything that may look valuable. If you leave your purse on the passenger seat because you only need to take your wallet with you, there's no way someone would know that there isn't anything of value in the purse. If you do leave these items in your vehicle, make sure they are out of sight (e.g., in the glove compartment or trunk).
- Never leave your vehicle running and unattended. Sometimes it seems easier to leave your car on while you run in and out of the convenience store, but that will make it too easy for car thieves. Even in broad daylight, an unattended, running car is an easy target.
- Close all windows and the sunroof. It's tempting to leave a window cracked on a hot day, but open windows are a car thief's dream! If you need to keep your vehicle cool, consider buying a sunshade for your dashboard. This will keep your car a little cooler without giving thieves an easy opportunity to steal your car.
- Park in a well-lit area. It's much easier to steal cars in the dark. Make sure you know exactly where you left your car once you've parked it. You can use your smartphone to drop a pin in that location. This will help you find your car later, and also keeps a record of where you parked just in case your car is no longer there when you return.
If your vehicle is stolen, make sure to contact law enforcement immediately. Keep note of your license plate number, your VIN, and the make and model of your vehicle. It will be helpful to give the police the exact location your car was in when it got stolen, and how long your vehicle was parked there before you saw it was stolen. You should also contact your insurance company that day.
If you come across a car thief, do not approach them or try to get your vehicle back yourself. Let law enforcement know where you saw the suspect so they can handle the situation safely.
Want to brush up on your driving skills? Check out our online driver safety courses. You may even be able to get a discount on your auto insurance by taking one of our online courses!
Did you know July is National Vehicle Theft Prevention month? Over 800,000 vehicles were stolen in 2020, costing car owners over $7 billion. That's one vehicle stolen every 39 seconds!