24 July 2014 Concept Car
Vehicle crime levels are decreasing according to the numbers published in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) which covers offences against private and company owned vehicles. According to the CSEW in the end of 2013 the vehicle-related theft level fell by 10% compared to 2012. The situation in 2013 is even more encouraging when compared to the numbers from previous years:
This is certainly a very good news and inline with the improvements in vehicle security systems, however, these systems can only prevent vehicle theft to some extend. There is a big role each driver has to play in order to prevent or at least make it harder for vehicle-related thefts to occur. Some of the measures might seem obvious to some but worth mentioning anyway since it can make your vehicle less attractive to the thief and reduce the opportunities for it to be stolen or vandalised:
If your car has an vehicle alarm fitted you need to make sure that it works flawlessly. Get the system checked by your local garage regularly and if you are not happy with the performance ask your vehicle to be fitted with the new one which is certified by Tatcham Research – an industry standard.
If you have recently bought a new car do not assume that it comes with the vehicle alarm already fitted. You might be surprised but some of the entry level models aren’t necessarily fitted with an alarm, even if they have central locking in place.
It is not only advisable to install a properly functioning vehicle alarm system for security reasons but the vehicle insurers might offer you lower premiums if you fit an industry standard alarm system.
A properly working vehicle alarm system should be always complemented with an immobiliser. There are two types of immobilisers – electronic and manual. Electronic types interrupt the ignition circuit and can only be unlocked when the car key is in ignition. The latter ones are known as steering or gearbox locks which are not sophisticated but serve the purpose as it would take thieves longer time than they want to spend to remove them.
To add an additional layer of security you could opt for a tracking system to be installed in your vehicle. It had been estimated that over 95% of cars fitted with trackers are recovered from which 86% within 24 hours of theft.
In general owners of expensive and rare vehicle models opt for the tracking but this should not deter you from using the technology for your next Vauxhall Astra model.
Finding a good parking spot is not easy especially in a busy areas like city centres. We almost feel “proud” when we managed to “secure” that good spot just in right place at the right moment. Quite often we opt for a place in the corner rather than for a paid parking areas thinking about saving some money and quite often we overlook the safety issue. Unfortunately it takes only one mistake of forgetting to lock your vehicle or parking in the wrong area and your vehicle is gone.
Here are some points and guidelines to consider when looking for a perfect parking spot for your vehicle:
A considerable amount of vehicle-related thefts are opportunistic. Thieves break-in to steal some valuable items on a display. The result and consequences can be as catastrophic and costly as losing the car itself. In order to prevent such incidents you might consider following some simple rules:
We have more advice to give if you are interested. Here are some related articles that you might be interested and there are more related resources available in case you have more questions.
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24 July 2014 Concept Car
