According to the Federal Highway administration, the people between the ages of 20 and 34 drive an average of 15,098 miles per year. That translates to a LOT of time spent in the car. Cars are great these days. Unlike the 1950s, most cars have both heat and air conditioning along with a number of creature comforts that make us feel at ease and at home while we drive. In fact, most cars today have an amazing ability to make us feel safe. So much so, that people often forget just how dangerous these hunks of steel and plastic can be. Of course, you probably hear weekly about how you should be careful while you drive, so since you already get that information from somewhere else, I am not going to harp on safe driving habits. Instead, I am going to give you some tips on staying safe from predators who target people getting into, out of, and sitting still in motor vehicles.
Tip #1: Handy Compartments
A large portion of vehicular burglaries occur when the owner is out of the vehicle. Criminals are opportunists who constantly have their eyes and ears open for an easy mark. If you leave valuables in your vehicle, place them in locations that are difficult or impossible to see from the outside of your car. Even a locked vehicle will be an attractive target for a thief is there is an expensive cell phone or a wallet sitting in the front seat. Find ways to make use of the glove box, console, or door pockets so that your valuables aren’t easily spotted. Of course, just because you hide valuables doesn’t mean your car won’t be broken into. So I recommend taking all really important items with you when you leave the vehicle.
Tip #2: Eyes up
Cell phones and other navigational devices are great tools. Unfortunately they can also be a great distraction. Too often I see people get into their car and immediately look down at their phone to set their navigation, text a friend, or set up their travel playlist. Criminals look for people who aren’t aware of their surroundings. If you get into your vehicle and have your head down, it is a perfect opportunity for a criminal to take you by surprise and rob you or worse. Instead of waiting to get to the car to check your maps, why not set up your navigation and entertainment before you walk outside?
Tip #3: Move it or lose it
Ok, so you forgot to set up your maps before you got in the car or maybe you just remembered to check in with your hubby before heading home. Instead of hoping your luck holds and you aren’t targeted this time, go ahead and move the vehicle before you look at your phone. Note that I said before and not while. Lock your doors, start the car, and move to a different part of the parking lot or down to the end of the block. Find a place where you are not surrounded by other vehicles that might impede your ability to observe someone coming toward you. Then you can stop the car, put it in park, scan your surroundings, and then make the necessary arrangements with your phone/navigation device.
Tip #4: Approach with care
Transitional spaces are the most common places for a person to get mugged. The transition from store or house to vehicle is one of the most frequently visited. Since people spend a LOT of time getting in and out of vehicles, it makes sense that this would be a prime location for a mugging to happen. This being the case, we need to be very aware of our surroundings when we return to our vehicle after we have been away for a while. As you approach your vehicle, scan your surroundings up to about 50 yards out. Are there any people who seem to have nothing to do? Is there someone standing close to your vehicle? Are there several people standing in strategic locations around nearby vehicles? Also scan your vehicle. Is there anything on the windshield? Are the tires still inflated? If you do see people that make you feel nervous, walk on past your car and return to the store or other location and find someone to walk out with you. If you are the only one around, feel free to call the police and ask for an escort. They are almost always willing to help. If there is something on the windshield, leave it there until you have driven a little while then get out and remove it.
These are just a few principles you can use to avoid making yourself a target while operating your vehicle. The best way to win a fight is never to have one at all. Always try to be aware of your surroundings and make choices that give you the upper hand.