Follow a plan for vehicle safety.
There is one motor vehicle theft every 19 seconds, and a growing number of these are “carjackings” where thieves use weapons and forcibly remove drivers from their vehicles. Others involve snatching purses or other valuables from vehicles.
Protect yourself and your vehicle from theft. Evaluate the various places you park. Is the area well lit? Is it visible to others? Is it isolated? When driving, look for potential trouble spots such as congested areas, intersections or highway entrance and exit ramps.
The steps outlined on this post can help prevent a carjacking or theft, but keep in mind, no piece of literature can be all-inclusive. The key is to think about your individual circumstances and to be alert to what is happening around you:
- When walking, always be aware of who’s around you – who may be behind or ahead of you. Be prepared to anticipate. Adopt this attitude when driving also, because our vehicles are no longer the islands of safety we once thought they were.
- Make a plan and practice it. Share the information with every driver in your family. Make sure you have the right safety equipment in your vehicle in the event of a breakdown.
- Practice evasive action when your family is in the vehicle with you, so you can all see how it can be done safely. Be sure to practice these actions after dark as well, because the risks increase then.
- Don’t relax your vigilance. Familiarity can make you careless. Be alert to strangers, unusual behavior or vehicles around you. If you sense a problem, call the police.
Always think prevention. Plan your route and be alert to your surroundings. Basic steps when parked or driving include:
1. Keep vehicle doors locked and windows up. When driving with your windows down, stay alert to the need to put them up quickly.
2. Never keep purses, wallets, cameras or other valuables on the seat next to you. Put them under the seat or in the glove compartment or trunk. Have the vehicle registration form with you, not in the car, unless state law requires the registration to be in the car.
3. Do not leave GPS units, cell phones, laptops and other valuable and easily stolen equipment in plain sight. Even if you hide the units themselves, the presence of a GPS mounting cradle, for example, can alert a thief to the possible presence of such equipment hidden in your vehicle. The best defense includes removing both the equipment and any evidence of its presence whenever you leave your car. And be certain you lock your car every time you park.
4. Whenever possible, drive in the center lane to make it harder for would-be carjackers to approach the vehicle. If a carjacker threatens you with a gun or other weapon, give up your car. Don’t argue. Get away as quickly as possible, and try to get a full description of the carjacker. Report the crime immediately.
5. Leave a half to a whole car length between you and the vehicle in front of you when you have to stop in traffic so you’ll be able to pull away if anyone threatens you.
6. Never roll down your window to talk to anyone other than a law enforcement officer who approaches your vehicle when you are stopped in traffic. Wave them off. If they continue to approach, drive away.
7. If you’re involved in a minor accident on a lonely stretch of road in an unfamiliar part of town, motion for the other driver to follow you to a well-lit public area where it’s safe to stop. If you feel there is anything suspicious
about the accident, such as a deliberate bumping from behind, exit the scene. Drive to the nearest public place where there are people and a telephone, or to a police station. 8. Keep your vehicle in good repair and full of fuel so breakdowns will be minimized. If you do have a problem, raise the hood, get back in the car, lock the doors and wait for the police. Don’t accept assistance from anyone who stops unless the person is from an authorized repair service. However, you can ask the individual to call 911 for you.
9. If someone tries to pull you over, and you don’t believe the person is a police officer, proceed at or below the speed limit to a well-populated and well-lit area. If it is a police officer, explain your actions politely.
10. When shopping, park as close as possible to the store in a well-lit location. Be alert for any suspicious behavior from people around you. Ask security for an escort.
11. Make frequent trips to your vehicle to put packages in the trunk. Don’t wait until you are overloaded and unable to react to a sudden emergency or threat.
12. When returning to your vehicle, have your key ready and scan the area for people around you. If something looks suspicious,
don’t go to your vehicle. Return to the store immediately and notify security,
or call the police.
13. Before getting into your vehicle, always look inside and check the back seat. 14. As soon as you’re in your vehicle, lock the door, fasten your seatbelt, start the engine and put it in gear so you’ll be able to drive away quickly if someone approaches or threatens you.
15. Don’t stop your vehicle if someone tries to wave you down. If it looks
like there has been an accident, drive to the nearest telephone
and report # to the police. If you believe someone is following you, don’t go home. Drive to the nearest police station, fire station,
store or restaurant. 16. When you leave your vehicle at a parking garage or repair shop, leave only your vehicle key.
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