Vehicle Theft Prevention

July is vehicle theft prevention month. You may think car theft doesn’t occur very often. However, “Over 770,000 drivers fall victim to vehicle theft each year. In fact, a vehicle is stolen about every 41 seconds in America” (NHTSA). And around 40% of those vehicles are ever recovered. 

Car theft prevention steps

Driver error accounts for about half of these thefts. So, follow these simple tips to decrease the chances your vehicle gets stolen: 

  • Don’t leave your key in or on your vehicle.
  • Close and lock all windows and doors including the sunroof when you park.
  • Don’t leave your car running when you’re not in it
  • Don’t keep the title inside the vehicle
  • Park in well-lit areas or in a garage
  • Stay alert and aware of your surroundings especially while parking
  • Never leave valuables in your vehicle, and especially in sight
  • Another option is to install any of these types of anti-theft systems: Audible and Visible Devices, Immobilizing-Type Devices, Vehicle Recovery Systems

What to do if your vehicle has been stolen:

If you find that your vehicle has been stolen you may be shocked and feel panicked. However, you should try and stay calm and contact the police right away. The sooner you file your report the better chance of your vehicle being recovered

According to the NHTSA, you may need to provide these things to the police while filing a report

  1. license plate number
  2. make, model, and color of the car
  3. vehicle identification number (VIN) and any identifying characteristics.

They stated you should contact your insurance company within 24 hours of finding that your vehicle has been stolen. 

Car theft totaled about $6 billion in 2017 alone. Do what you can in your daily car use to avoid the chance of this occurring to your vehicle. 

Contact: Glisson Law