When it comes to cars, they can be stressful; you need to worry about your teen staying safe when driving, you need to worry about the environment itself and how others drive, and when no one is driving, you still need to be worried because there’s the chance that your car will be broken into. Having your car broken into is such a major nightmare. They’re costly, and not all insurance companies will even cover them. 

Everyone knows the golden rule of never having anything expensive showing in the car, but honestly, you don’t need to have anything in your car because there’s still the chance of it getting broken into. But what exactly can you do to lower the chances of this awful event happening to you? Well, here’s what you need to know! 

Always Keep Your Doors Locked

It’s a given, but you’d be surprised how often people make this mistake. A reason why some people don’t do it is because they’re worried about auto lockout, such as their keys being locked in the car. Sure, some cars will automatically lock the second you close them, but most cards will have a locking remote. In general, keep your doors locked because this is going to deter criminals from trying to break in. While it doesn’t 100% stop them, it does help a lot. 

Hide Your Valuables

Even if you don’t have valuables in the car, there’s still going to be a chance that people will try to get into your car. But hiding what you have or completely removing it is at least going to help you out. So be sure to hide your electronics and put things underneath car seats or even the trunk for safety. If your car has a concealed compartment, then use that, too. But overall, just try to hide what you can or remove everything if you can. 

Be Careful Where You Park

If you can park somewhere in the middle of the day, then do that, then go out at night. Car break-ins mostly happen at night. But if you just can’t avoid it and you need to go out, then park in a well-lit area, preferably close to CCTV cameras if you see them. This is obvious, but just flat out avoid parking your car anywhere sketchy because this alone would increase the chances of it getting broken into. 

Get an Anti-Theft System

This is basically just a fancy word for a car alarm, but this does the trick, especially during the daylight. Nowadays, most cars will come with these. Plus,  many insurance companies offer discounts for cars equipped with anti-theft devices.

Be Cautious of Your Bumper Stickers

It sounds really weird, but this is entirely true; sometimes, the stickers you have on your car can work against you. To a degree, it gives the idea that there are valuables in the car. For example, if you have a "My Child is an Honor Student" bumper sticker, it can inadvertently signal to thieves that there may be valuable items, like electronics or school bags, inside your car. It’s terrible to think about but it’s sadly the truth.