MOTORING CORNER : “Car Safety”

A car is a very important asset for many families. Cars range from so many categories with varying price tags as well as makes. It is for this fact that, you must jealously guard your car because it is one of the most valuable chattels in your possession. In many parts of the world, theft of and from cars is a threat that motorists have to live with every day. This is on the increase worldwide. What can be done to ameliorate this precarious situation? There are a number of precautions that we can take in a bid to fight and reduce these soaring crime rates. Take Care of Your Keys In many cases, car thefts occur where the vehicle is taken using the keys. It is incredible to note that, many people do leave their car keys unattended to or in the hands of untrustworthy individuals (like mechanics, car washers, etc). Statistics have shown that, many people leave keys in the ignition, as a result, car thieves find it very easy to drive such cars away. If the keys have been left in the ignition and your car is stolen, it is unlikely that your insurance company will pay out, so don’t do it even if you are just next to the car. Some people leave their engines running because they want to keep the Air-conditioner running or heater running. This is quite wrong; you could be aiding a car thief to accomplish his task with ease. Sometimes, burglars break into homes in a bid to find car keys so that they can steal your car, better be very careful where you leave the car keys, make sure that, they are not visible. Don’t Leave Valuables in ViewValuables on view in a car are like advertising to a car criminal. It takes a couple of seconds for them to break a window and do away with your goodies. Do not give them that chance. Make Sensible Parking Choices When you are parking your car, consider the light situation, is it daytime when you are parking? What will the area look like at night? Will there be a working street-lamp or will you be completely in darkness when returning alone to your car? These are all things to consider. Some tips for safer parking: Get a Car Radio that has a removable face plate that you will be able to take along with you whenever you leave the car. If you are in a not so safe locality, better buy a “steering wheel lock” or a “handbrake lock”. Make sure that, you close and lock all your doors when you are in the car, and keep windows shut in slow moving traffic. Not only does it stop people mistaking your car for a taxi, it also removes the chances of an opportunist thief jumping into the passenger seat and forcing you to go and withdraw all your money from the ATM machine. In some countries, thieves come with human waste; they threaten to smear you unless you hand over your valuables. This could have been avoided by having the car windows and doors locked! Secure Your Car If you haven’t got one already, consider fitting an alarm system or an immobiliser (also known as a kill-switch). In some countries, this brings your insurance premium down. Sometimes, you can dupe the robbers by putting stickers on your windows that say “this Car is protected by ABC Alarm Systems”, the person eyeing your car will probably not want to take the risk of getting near your car. Get Vehicle Registration Engraved on Parts The Vehicle registration number is unique to each vehicle. If it is engraved onto the windows and other major parts of the car it is unlikely that thieves would be able to sell on the parts to a chop shop - which would otherwise buy them and sell the parts individually. For this reason a professional thief is likely to bypass a car that has visible registration engraving in place. motoringcorner@live.co.uk

Lifestyle

MOTORING CORNER : “Car Safety”