If you’re a motorist, you’ll know how vital it is to ensure your car is safe to use on the roads. However, did you know it’s just as important to make sure your vehicle is secure even when you’re not driving it? With car crime accounting for over 25 per cent of all recorded crime in the UK, it’s crucial that you’re vigilant when it comes to the security of your motor.
The good news is, being on top of your car’s security will not only save you a lot of hassle and inconvenience, but it can also help bring down the cost of your insurance premiums. If you decide to get in touch with a reputable car insurance broker, they might suggest that insurance companies usually tend to favour those who actively take steps to ensure their cars are safe and secure. So, if you make the effort, you could save yourself some cash. To benefit from a cheaper deal, make sure you inform your insurance provider of the efforts you’re making in terms of car security. Whether you need to renew your policy or you’re taking it out for the first time, you can find car insurance cover from Chill.ie and other broker websites online.
- Park somewhere secure
Elements of nature can negatively impact the health of your car. Hence, it would be wise to park your vehicle inside an enclosed space, preferably a garage. It can also save your car from theft, should you decide to get the garage built with high-end anti-theft features like motion sensors and alarms. As a matter of fact, this is a reasonably inexpensive building project, often mistaken as an expensive undertaking. Consulting garage builders could help in this regard –look up Sunward Steel garages to find one near you — who can help you to get a fair understanding of the expenses involved.
If, however, you have to park on the road, try to pull up under a streetlight in a busy area. For extra security, you could position your car in sight of a CCTV camera.It’s also important to be selective when parking in public. If you can, rent a dedicated car parking area to ensure your car is safe. Alternatively, you can use online parking portals such as Parkhound to find a secure and affordable parking spot. It can be helpful to read parkhound parking review in order to learn more about the levels of security offered at parking lots.
- Keep belongings out of sight
From your sat nav, to spare charge, to your favourite CDs, it’s likely your car is home to a number of travel essentials. While it’s handy to keep items like this inside your vehicle, it could mean you’re at a much higher risk of being broken into. Even if you consider them to be of little or no value, having your belongings on display is extremely attractive to thieves. So to ensure your car is safe from prying eyes, it helps to keep your stuff out of sight. You could use your boot to store your car must haves, or better still, you could make the effort to completely remove all of your belongings from the vehicle when it’s unattended. When it comes to sat navs, make sure you take down the device cradle and wipe away any suction marks that may have been left on the windowscreen after use to discourage someone from breaking in to try and find the gadget itself.
- Always lock your car
Even if you leave your car for a moment, for example if you go into the petrol station to pay after filling up, it’s extremely important that you lock your car behind you. Leaving it unlocked for even a couple of minutes could give an unwanted visitor the chance to feel around your car to see if there is anything worth stealing. It’s also important to never leave the keys in the ignition. It pays to remove the key and secure the car before you walk away from it.
By keeping these security tips in mind, you should be able to prevent a number of potential car mishaps.