OSEA Safety Blog

Reduce your chances of getting your vehicle stolen

Wednesday, August 17, 2022 Jade Salzman

About 804,000 vehicles were stolen in the U.S. in 2020, that’s about $7 billion in costs for vehicles stolen in 2020. It is estimated that half of vehicle thefts in 2020 were due to driver error and about 74% of all stolen vehicles were passenger cars. Also, summer proves to be the worst season for vehicle theft which is why NHTSA has declared an awareness month to provide drivers with tips on how to prevent their vehicles from getting stolen.

To break down all these statistics, that’s a vehicle stolen every 39 seconds.

Using common sense when parking and exiting your vehicle can reduce your chances of getting your vehicle stolen. Four common sense tips that can go a long way are:

  • Don’t leave your keys in your vehicle, always take them with you.
  • Don’t leave windows down or doors unlocked when vehicle is unattended.
  • Always try and park in a well-lit area.
  • Never leave valuables in your vehicle that can be seen from outside of it.

Thieves want the whole vehicle, but they also want valuable items and vehicle parts. Some of the most common things stolen are doors, engines, transmissions, air bags, radios, GPS units, cell phones, iPads, laptops, and purses.

Some ways you can protect your vehicle are antitheft systems and devices. These are designed to make it harder to steal but if your vehicle does get stolen, they also make it easier to trace and recover. The three most common was to protect your vehicle are:

  • Audible and visible devices
  • Immobilizing-type devices
  • Vehicle recovery systems

If you follow these tips and use common sense when it comes to leaving your vehicle unattended you are less likely to have your vehicle stolen. But if your vehicle does get stolen follow these steps to help insure a proper response.

  • Contact the police immediately and file a stolen vehicle report. You will need this for your insurance company.
  • Contact your insurance company to file a claim no more than 24 hours after discovering your vehicle was stolen.
  • If you find your vehicle before authorities do, make sure you contact the police and your insurance company to let them know.

Remember to always be aware of your surroundings, never leave your vehicle unattended while running and always remember to lock it!

Resources:

Work Safe. Work Smart. Work with OSEA. Start Now