Personal safety

According to government statistics, car thefts themselves are decreasing, but thefts from cars are a major problem. With new cars having better immobilisers and security systems, serious car thieves are targeting keys, so your personal safety may be best served by keeping keys out of sight until you use them. Key fobs with car insignia are not a good idea. The British Crime Survey shows that 40% of vehicle crimes happen on the street outside the home, so be most vigilant when you go out to your car or when you arrive home.

*INTERESTING FACT: 60% of all vehicle-related theft involves theft from a vehicle according to the British Crime Survey 2002/03

Sensible precautions include:

  1. Keeping possessions out of sight - especially when you park: Handbags, sports bags and shopping are all incentives for thieves. The average value of possessions stolen in 2002/2003 was just £80 but the distress and time involved in replacing broken windows or damaged locks is often far more disturbing than the theft itself.
  2. Use hands-free telephones: It's now illegal to use a hand-held phone when you drive, not because they want to spoil our fun, but because it causes accidents. Come on girls - hands free kits are cheap or even free. Lets get with it.
  3. Don't do your make-up: It's a cliché, but we've all seen it - lipstick in the mirror on that queue on the M6. And it's not just make-up; a woman in Germany was arrested for pouring milk onto her bowl of muesli on her lap while driving to work - just before she ploughed into a garden wall. Hands on the wheel - eyes on the road, even in traffic jams.
  4. Never drink & drive - If you're having a drink - don't drive. For many women, one large glass of wine is enough to put us over the limit. Drinking and driving ruins lives - don't do it.
  5. Parking - particularly at night or in winter or in some parts of some cities, it's more important to think about your personal safety than being late for a meeting or a date. To keep yourself safe look for well-lit, warden nominated parking whenever possible. If in doubt - drive on. Never take chances with your safety. If you have to park somewhere you don't feel comfortable, have your mobile phone to hand and switched on before you get out of the car. Never leave valuables visible in your car. And, of course, remember to lock you car!

 

* British Crime Survey 2002/03