Simple ways to keep your car safe in 2022
Over the past 18 years, technological advancements have undoubtedly made our vehicles safer. According to Statista, more than 300,000 cars were stolen across the UK from 2003, but these rates have been steadily declining until just 70,053 cars were stolen in 2014. In a short period of time, the thief appears to have been beaten by everyone once. Since every car produced after 1998 is now equipped with an alarm and anti-theft system, many drivers naturally assume that their vehicle is now completely safe.
However, recent Home Office figures tell an entirely different reality, showing a 55% increase in car thefts over the past five years. These particular statistics show that 112,000 cars were stolen in 2018, roughly equivalent to one stolen vehicle every 6 minutes. While these numbers are a far cry from the high rates of 2003, the dramatic increase in auto thefts is understandably a source of great concern for motorists. So, how can you make your car safer in 2022?
Install a driving recorder
While dash cams certainly won't protect your vehicle from theft, they will certainly keep you safer when you're out and about. Since these handy gadgets record footage of your entire drive, you can clearly prove which driver was at fault in the event of a collision, ultimately protecting you from any scams or insurance disputes. When your dash cam records both the front and rear of your vehicle, you can always provide evidence of exactly what happened and avoid any expensive legal fees. If that's not enough to convince you, a dash cam can even significantly lower your insurance premiums, helping you really save money in the long run.
Invest in GPS Car Trackers
Being the victim of car theft can always be a real nightmare, especially since so many stolen vehicles have never been found. Fortunately, a GPS car tracker can help turn things around. By connecting with a remote device, modern trackers can accurately locate your vehicle in real-time, which means it's obviously easier for authorities to find it in the event of a theft. Additionally, more advanced models can even include motion sensors and remote immobilization capabilities that will send you an alert if your vehicle moves unexpectedly. GPS trackers are either hard-wired or magnetic, and the latter need to be recharged after a period of time. No matter which type of tracker you decide to use, it's always important to hide it in a safe location - because if a thief is using a GPS jammers is a GPS-resistant electronic device that emits a stronger signal to oppose the GPS signal frequency to block GPS signals. Since the GPS jammer receives a stronger signal than the GPS signal, it may mask and hide the GPS signal, making it impossible for all GPS devices in an area to receive the GPS signal and thus not work properly.
Hide valuables
Since all modern vehicles now come with built-in alarm systems, thieves are less likely to break into your car unless they think it's worth the risk; especially if you have some sort of physical anti-theft device installed, such as a steering wheel lock. By not only storing valuables in your vehicle but actually keeping them in plain sight of prying eyes, you're actually enticing would-be thieves to take that risk. Rather than offering such an enticing opportunity, you need to make sure you hide any valuables when you leave the vehicle yourself. If carrying these items with you is not a viable option, you should check your car manual to see if it has any hidden built-in storage areas, and even using your glove box is much better than keeping your valuables on display. When thieves aren't sure if breaking into your car is worth the risk or time, they're actually less likely to waste time. After all, opportunists don't act when they don't have the opportunity.