A car is a major investment, and there’s a good reason not to want it damaged when in a public parking lot. In cities with high crime, the lot can become a place of danger as much as it’s a place to park. Extremists have targeted parked cars in some cases, taking advantage of those who leave their cars unattended. With all that said, there are certain things you can do to keep your car safe when parking it on city streets or in a lot. Here are some tips to help you do just that:
Secure Your Car
Did you know that many car thieves look for easy targets? They give up on cars with difficult things like complicated transponder key systems. If your car is parked out in the open or has no visible signs of security, it will most probably be chosen over its more secure counterparts. Your goal should be to make sure your car is not an easy target by making it look like security systems are in place. Protecting your car is not that difficult, but you must know what to watch out for to keep your car’s best interests at heart. A car is an expensive investment, which is why you should protect it so that it does not get stolen. Security starts with preventative measures. It would be best if you made it hard for thieves to identify the make and model of your car. Whenever you park your car make sure that this information is hidden from potential thieves. This way, they can’t go looking for parts of higher value on your car, which will increase their chances of getting caught. You can do this by parking under a tree or hiding your registered license plate number. It also helps to tint your windows and park in a place where many people can see your car.
Park in a Well-Lit Area
If you are in the city, then it is likely that you will park your car in the streets. This means that people would want to take advantage of this situation and steal your parked car. However, some things can be done to prevent yourself from becoming a statistic. Whenever you park your car make sure that it is parked in a place that is well lit. You want to see your surrounding area, and this would only allow the street lights to provide visibility for you.
Furthermore, if there are cameras nearby, use them as another source of protection against any potential thieves. If you want to be more proactive, park your car in a residential area or at least an area with watchful eyes that might see something suspicious. If you do this, it will allow for a guard to possibly come by and help out if anything happens. This is an important step towards your safety as a car owner. If you have a driveway, then it is recommended that you park in it instead of on the streets.
Lock All Doors and Windows
Locking your car is just as important as locking your home. Locking your car not only protects you from intruders but also against thieves. Not surprisingly, most cars are stolen by individuals who know exactly what they are doing and have the right tools to do it. They are often ‘professional’ thieves who could be looking to strip away parts or use your vehicle for illegal activities. Whenever you park your car make sure that all the doors and windows are locked. Locking doors is just one step in protecting your car. Locking doors means that the thief cannot enter your vehicle and start it right away at the door – this would make too much noise and draw unwanted attention. The thief will usually give up at this point and look for an easier target. Thieves will rarely damage your vehicle or interfere with the transmission tune-up when trying to steal it if they can’t get in. However, if your windows are not up and your doors unlocked, there is a better chance that the thief will damage the door to gain access to your vehicle.- Make sure you have all doors, back hatch, and windows closed when leaving your car. One of the most common tricks used by thieves is to unlock your car with a slim jim (a slim strip of metal) and open a door. A thief will then place an object on top of your hood, start your car using the remote starter or get inside the vehicle and drive off while you are still in it!
Turn On the Alarm if Possible
If you have a car and you park it on the street, the chances are that someone will try to steal your pride and joy. It doesn’t matter if the city is safe or not! In one way or another, you’ll have to deal with this issue. If you don’t want anyone messing around with your parked car, then you should know that the best way to make it impossible for someone to steal your car right under your nose is by turning on your viper car alarm. You should do this before you leave your car parked on the streets of any city! Alarm security settings are very easy to use. An alarm system in your car consists of sensors installed in various places around the vehicle. When one of the sensors is triggered, the alarm goes off to scare away potential thieves and vandals. The alarm makes noise, but there are also strobe lights that flash when you set the system up to help prevent vandalism. It’s almost impossible for criminals not to notice the flashing lights and noise, so they’ll usually move on to another vehicle! So, whenever you park your car make sure the alarm is turned on.
Don’t Leave Spare Keys in the Vehicle
Whenever you park your car make sure that you do not leave your spare keys inside. Leaving your spare keys in your car can have serious repercussions. It’s a bad habit that gives criminals easy access to your vehicle and even your home if they decide to break in by shattering a window, grabbing the key from under a floor mat, or just entering through an open door. Avoiding this elementary mistake could save your car from being stolen. If you have a garage, great! You can leave your car’s doors unlocked without worrying if something bad will happen. But if you don’t have an attached or detached garage and only rely on on-street parking, this little mistake could lead to a nightmare. Never assume that nobody will mess with your parked vehicle or that you are too far off the beaten path to attract any wrong attention. Some people think leaving a spare key under the floor mat or behind the sun visor is harmless and will save them time to lock their keys in the car. Wrong! This is one of the worst mistakes you can make. If your car gets broken into, these spare keys may lead to your home, and if the thief is smart enough, they will go through this newfound treasure trove of information to rob you mysteriously at a time that’s convenient for them.
Park Close to Other Cars
There are many steps you can take to protect your parked car, but proximity to parking is often overlooked. The reason this step has not been taken more seriously comes down to convenience, as drivers find it difficult to park their vehicles closely next to each other because they might have to deal with car body repair. In the unfortunate event that you get involved in an accident within the parking lot, it is always advisable to consult a personal injury lawyer, especially where casualties are involved. The main benefit of proximity parking is that it allows a parked car to hide another one from potential thieves. While the first vehicle may be obscured behind a second one, drivers often fail to realize that their vehicle also becomes invisible from outside eyes. This makes it far less likely for your parked car to become an easy target for car thieves. The only way to truly protect your parked car is by parking it close enough to other vehicles that it can’t be seen. This could mean parking nose-to-bumper with the vehicle in front of you or side-by-side should you find yourself surrounded by cars on all sides. Whenever you park your car make sure that you take advantage of parking. It would help if you also considered parking in a very busy garage with an auto mechanic, where potential car thieves are less likely to enter. Sometimes, you can also opt to park in a ‘compact’ space, as these are designed for far smaller vehicles than most. While following this step may make parking your vehicle more difficult, it will go a long way towards protecting it from potential thieves.
Park in Attended Lots
When you visit big cities, it is common to park in parking lots attended by attendants. Depending on where you live, these may be otherwise known as valets or custodians. They could also be called lot assistants, booth attendants, lot guides, or simply guards. These workers monitor the spaces available in the parking lot and provide information to drivers about where they can park. The important thing to know is that the presence of such attendants provides you with a layer of protection beyond basic physical barriers like gates and fencing. Attendants do more than stand guard over cars parked in controlled spaces. They also act as the last line of defense for crime prevention because they can (and should) stop to check out things that seem suspicious. For instance, whenever you park your car make sure that there is an attendant on site. Even if it’s to be sure that no one is hiding in your car or under your hood with the aim of stealing vital parts of the car like the tires or side mirrors.
Attendants are also usually trained to notice when too many cars are trying to leave the lot at once. If this happens, they might decide to keep one or more lanes closed until things calm down. This helps prevent accidents and traffic jams that could result from the driver and pedestrian mix of a busy lot.
Use Underground Parking
Whenever you park your car make sure that you take advantage of underground parking, since this will go a long way in protecting your car. Every year, a huge number of cars get stolen or vandalized, which is a serious problem for car owners who have to buy a new car after a theft incident or engage a car towing service after serious vandalism. But it’s not only about buying a new car; some people also suffer from mental trauma as they have worked very hard before having their cars stolen. However, avoiding all these things can be considered an important step for car owners who have to park their cars in the city, because it’s very difficult for them to keep their parked cars safe. But one of the things they could do is to use underground parking so that their parked cars are secure from thieves. You don’t need any proof that underground parking will help you keep your parked car safe; all you have to do is trust it! As underground parking has to save your parked cars from thieves, you must use it.
Park Facing Away from the Street
Parking while facing away from the street is an important step to keep your parked car safe in the city. Whenever you park your car make sure that you adhere to this rule. Many people probably don’t think twice before leaving their parked car facing the wrong way on a one-way street. But this is an important step in keeping your parked car safe, which you should always take care of before walking away from it. The first reason why you should always park with your back to the road is that it limits the possibility of someone stealing your tires and alloy wheels. The second reason is that when you park facing the wrong way, it will be easy for a thief with bad intentions to climb into your car to harm you or even steal your car by force. Little wonder why most car thieves usually opt for such cars when they are in the mood to do some stealing. The third reason why you should park facing away from the road is simply that it will be easier for other cars to avoid hitting your car and forcing you to engage an emergency roadside assistance service. This is because when you park with your back to the road, your car will take up a large part of the road and could force oncoming vehicles to swerve into the opposite lane, thus creating traffic congestions. Blocking traffic. When such happens, the driver of the vehicle that hits your car will most likely speed off and leave you dealing with your auto accident law firm.
Park near Exits
There are countless situations when you need to leave your car in the parking lot, whether it’s because you’re at work all day or meeting friends for dinner. But not everyone takes the right precautions to keep their cars safe. Leaving your car in the parking lot is a good way to get it vandalized. Of course, accidents can happen even if you’re conscientious about where you park and follow all the guidelines for avoiding vandalism. In most cases, this might compel you to seek the services of a lawyer, especially when you find it difficult to get compensation from your insurer. Whenever you park your car make sure that it is close to the existing car.
You may think that when you park in that dark corner at the far end of the parking lot, your car is out of harm’s way. But this isn’t necessarily true. When you park in a location like this, someone who wants to vandalize your car can do so without being seen. And the more hidden your car is, the better chance there is that you’ll come back and find it damaged. Parking near an exit helps ensure that anyone who wants to vandalize your vehicle will be seen as they try. This makes it much easier for someone to call the police and help identify those responsible for damaging your car.
With the ever-increasing need for mobility, it is becoming difficult for most people to operate without a car. Once you have worked hard to acquire a car, it is your responsibility to ensure that it is safe and secure from theft and vandalism. By following some of the tips discussed in this article, you will not only protect your car from thieves but also protect it from being exposed to accidents.