July is Vehicle Theft Protection Month

July is the month well-known for celebrating Independence Day. It’s also one of the hottest months of the year, leading to many summer vacations and other festivities. However, not only is July a hot month in terms of temperature, but it’s also a hot month when it comes to vehicle theft in the U.S.

According to estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2017, the value of vehicles stolen was almost $6 million. Because summertime is a prime time for vehicle thieves, the NHTSA is designating July as the National Vehicle Theft Protection Month.

As part of their vehicle theft prevention outreach, the NHTSA works hard to educate vehicle owners about ways they can deter the theft of their vehicles and what precautionary measures they can take. The NHTSA provides infographics, fact sheets and other relevant information, helping to inform consumers about high-theft areas by state, the prominence of vehicle theft and who to contact and what to do if a vehicle theft occurs.

To keep your vehicle out of the hands of thieves, the NHTSA urges you take certain measures.

1. Don’t Make Your Vehicle a Target

First, never leave your keys in your vehicle — always take them with you when you leave your vehicle. Be sure you shut and lock all your doors and windows of your vehicle when you’re not in it and park in areas that are well-lit when you can. Don’t leave any of your valuables in your vehicle where they can be seen. Not only are thieves looking to steal vehicles, but they’re also interested in other things like:

• Mechanical parts
• Air bags
• Sheet metal like fenders and doors
• Cell phones
• Laptops
• iPads
• Purses
• Navigation and audio systems

Don’t let your vehicle become an easy target.

2. Protect Your Vehicle

There are various types of antitheft devices and systems designed for making vehicles harder to steal and/or easier to track and recover. A couple of them include:

• Immobilizing-Type Devices: These are antitheft systems that make hot-wiring your vehicle almost impossible.
• Visible and Audible Devices: Theft-deterrent decals and steering wheel locks warn potential thieves to stay away from your vehicle. Alarms deter theft since they are loud and will bring attention to a thief trying to break into your vehicle

3. GPS Tracking Device

A great added layer of protection for your vehicle is a GPS tracking device. GPS tracking systems are extremely effective in helping police recover stolen vehicles. There are even systems that utilize “telematics” that combine wireless technologies with GPS to allow remote vehicle monitoring. So, if your vehicle is moved, this technology will alert you and you can track your vehicle on a computer or your mobile phone.

If a thief steals your vehicle, the very first thing you should do is contact law enforcement and file a report. You’ll need this report when you make an insurance claim. Keep a copy of your vehicle identification number and license plate number separate from your car. In your report, you’ll provide details on the color, make and model of your vehicle along with other distinguishing characteristics.

If you have GPS tracking in your vehicle, do not attempt to recover the vehicle yourself. Call the police and let them do the tracking and recovering.

Looking to add vehicle theft protection? Consider the GPS tracking solution we offer here at LiveViewGPS. Take a look at our website and/or call us at 1-888-544-0494.

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