Are you looking for ways to prevent your car from getting broken into? Do you wonder if there are ways that you can protect yourself from ever having to endure car theft? If so, then you need to learn about all the different techniques for doing so.
While there might not be any way to 100-percent guarantee your car will never be broken into, there are ways to protect yourself if it occurs.
See below for several ways you can prevent car theft in your vehicle. Be sure to consider all of these methods mentioned and install them into your life as you see fit.
Table of Contents
1. Invest in Good Car Insurance
Almost one-fourth of all cars in the U.S. are broken into each year. That means that, while there are certain things you can do to lessen the chance of car theft in your vehicle, it’s never out of the realm of possibility.
Often, people make the mistake of thinking “that could never happen to me” and don’t take proper precautions to protect themselves in the event of a loss.
Car thieves don’t mind being messy if push comes to shove. If they see something in your car that they really want, they won’t hesitate to smash a window to retrieve it. so not only will you have items stolen, you’ll have car damage that needs to be covered.
That’s why it’s vitally important to invest in high-quality car insurance. That way, you have a trusted provider that’s ready to cover all of the losses you might accrue after car theft has happened.
Better yet, if you find a good car insurance policy with someone that offers other policies you’re interested in, you can bundle insurance to save on your monthly costs. Not only will you have proper coverage, but you’ll also have more back in your wallet each month.
2. Always Find Good Lighting
As you might imagine, most car thefts occur at night time. The darker the area, the less likely someone will see them as they break into the car. They don’t need much time either, as an experienced car thief can take less than a minute to grab what they want.
On the flip side of that, the more visible your car is, the less likely that it gets broken into. For that reason, you should always prioritize parking under a well-lit area.
If you’re parking in a parking lot at night, find a street lamp that you can park close to. If you’re leaving your car parked in your driveway, make sure that the driveway light is active and as bright as can be.
Try to avoid using motion-detecting lights. They don’t scare off car burglars as much as you might think. Once a thief has their mind made up, they don’t let much deviate them from the plan. Having a light that’s always on will cause them to find a car that has less lighting attached.
3. Always Close and Secure
Any time that you walk away from your car—whether it be for a few minutes or a few hours—you always want to secure the vehicle to make sure someone can’t get in easily.
Before you turn off your car, always roll up the windows, including the sunroof. Be sure to double-check that each window is completely closed. Once you shut the car off, remove the key from the car (ignition or otherwise) and place it in your pocket.
Keep your eyes on the car as you lock it from the outside. Make sure the lights flicker twice to ensure both the front doors and back doors are locked.
Most car thieves aren’t pros. They’ll simply walk up to a car and see if the door handle is unlocked. If not, they’ll move on to the next car without hesitation.
4. Don’t Leave Valuables in the Car
Simply put: if you don’t want to risk an item being stolen, don’t keep it inside your car. That includes things like sunglasses, headphones, workout equipment, clothing, backpacks, technology, etc.
Make a habit of taking out anything from the car that you can carry with you, and teach the rest of your family to do the same.
Even if you park your car in your garage, don’t leave it to chance. Don’t leave items in your glove compartment (even if it locks). That’s one of the first places that a car burglar will look for valuable items.
5. Always Be Mindful of Your Surroundings
Don’t ever put yourself in a position to be robbed. Some car burglars will wait to catch an unsuspecting driver in a location where immediate help isn’t available.
Always be mindful of where you park. Before you unlock your vehicle to step out of the car, whether at night or during the day, take a glance at your surroundings. If anything seems off, drive away.
However, if you find yourself in a situation where a car thief confronts you, don’t try to be a hero. Your life is more important than the headphones inside your car. Cards can be deactivated. Cell phones can be replaced.
Prevent Car Theft With These Helpful Tips
Now that you have seen a helpful guide on how to prevent car theft, be sure to implement these tips right away.
Always be mindful of where you park and what you leave inside your car that’s out in plain sight. Even something as little as a bit of spare change might lead to a break-in if the car thief is desperate enough.
Be sure to browse our website for more articles on car break-ins as well as many other helpful topics that you will enjoy.
