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Don't Get Your Car Stolen When Driving On Your Holidays
Written by Dorothy Yamich   
Thursday, 11 June 2009 07:19
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.
by DorothyYamich


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.

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 thieves might be after more than your vehicle, luggage, or any valuables that might be inside your vehicle. They might only want an older car to take a joy ride in or 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 to reduce this problem is to hide the documents really well in the trunk. Some police forces in cities that have a high incidence of auto thefts recommend doing this. Just remember to tell everyone who is traveling with you where these documents are squirreled away inside the trunk.

Here are some more ways you can lessen the chances of having your holidays wrecked by car thieves. If you can manage to implement some of these suggestions, you will really lessen the chance of becoming a 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. Dont even think about doing it.

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.

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 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.

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 better to park in an attendant supervised parking lot rather than an unattended one. If its a place or lot where there is valet parking, just give the attendant your door and ignition key. They do not need any other keys on your key chain.

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.

Try to avoid parking near or next to any obstruction, such as a fence, hedge, 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 observe any suspicious activity like a person or group of people milling around or near your vehicle you should call the police.

Here are some of the anti-theft devices that you can install for maximum protection. You may have some 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 do is get your mechanic to install a hood lock that will prevent easy access to your vehicles battery as well as its security system.

A loud vehicle alarm system and a highly visible alarm sticker on your windshield can be worth its weight in gold when combined with the addition of a number of 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, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel on a vacation.

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