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In these tough financial times most folks need vacations more than ever. As well, they also want to save a lot of money. One economical solution is taking the family car and driving to and from your holiday destination instead of flying there.

If you plan to drive, it may also make sense to take some steps to protect yourself and family from car theft. Having some car thief steal your car, luggage, or other items of value from your trunk could really put a damper on what was supposed to be a fun-filled and enjoyable trip.

Even if you take all of the numerous precautions to prevent auto theft when you travel, very determined professional car thieves can still manage to steal any vehicle if they want it badly enough. Can you remember the car theft action movie Gone In 60 Seconds starring Nicolas Cage? However, you can still dramatically reduce the odds of becoming a victim of auto theft to almost zero.

Many of these auto theft preventative measures are common sense and cost nothing to do. So it might make sense to implement them not only when you travel by car on your holidays, but also in your every day driving.

First, to start with, you should never take for granted that you are immune from auto theft when traveling, or that your vehicle is not worth stealing.

Keep in mind that thieves might be after more than your vehicle, luggage, or any valuables that might be inside your vehicle. They might only want an older car to take a joy ride in or for its parts.

They may also be after your vehicle documents for identity theft purposes, or they could be thinking of robbing your residence while you are away on vacation. Where would they get this important information? From the vehicle registration and auto insurance papers which are usually conveniently located in the glove compartment.

The best solution is to eliminate this problem by keeping these documents on your person at all times while traveling on your holidays.

The second best way to reduce this problem is to hide the documents really well in the trunk. Some police forces in cities that have a high incidence of auto thefts recommend doing this. Just remember to tell everyone who is traveling with you where these documents are squirreled away inside the trunk.

Here are some other ways you can lessen the odds of having your holidays disrupted by car thieves. If you can manage to implement a number of these suggestions, you will dramatically lessen the chances of being a victim of auto theft when you travel.

Close all of your vehicles windows tightly and lock all the doors when you park it anywhere, even if its only for a minute or two.

A real invitation to lose your vehicle is leaving it idling and unattended. Its just not cool to do it. Don’t even think about doing it.

Similarly, you should not leave your vehicles keys in the ignition or hidden anywhere in car. That also includes a second set of keys. Professional car thieves can easily find any keys hidden in the usual places very quickly. Keep an extra set of keys on your person.

Do not leave any thing of value in your vehicle, even if they cant be seen from the outside of your car. If you can, take them with you.

However, if you have no choice and have to leave valuables in your vehicle, make sure that they are locked in your trunk. When you do this, look around and make sure that no one is watching what you’re doing, or better still stop, pull over, and put them in your trunk before you arrive at your destination. Prying eyes may be anywhere.

When parking in public areas, turn you vehicles front wheels either to the left or right before you turn your ignition off. This engages the steering wheel lock in the steering wheel column and can make your vehicle a little more difficult to take.

You should always engage the emergency brake after you have parked and turned the motor off. This may also make your vehicle harder to tow away.

For front wheel and rear wheel drive vehicles you should park them a bit differently when in underground parking. Front wheel drive cars should be parked nose in and rear wheel drive ones, nose out. Then turn your tires to the right or left. Again, this may make your auto harder to tow away.

It is always best to park in an attendant operated parking lot rather than an unattended one. If its a lot or place that has valet parking, only let the attendant have your door and ignition key. They don’t need any other keys for your vehicle.

In public areas near dusk and at night, always park in well lit places that have a lot of pedestrian traffic. Keep in mind that most auto thieves work at night.

If possible, avoid parking next or near to any obstruction, such as a large truck, fence, hedge, or anything that blocks an unobstructed view of your vehicle to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

When you’re staying in a place that has secured, gated parking, be certain that the gate has completely closed after entering or leaving so that a thief does not sneak in to the parking area where you are staying.

If you see any suspicious activity such as someone or a group of people loitering near your vehicle you should call the police.

Here are some of the anti-theft devices that you can install for maximum protection. You may have some of these products already installed in your vehicle.

You can use a very visible after-market steering wheel locking bar. Most car thieves will likely move on to easier prey/greener pastures. Other less visible after-market products are locks for gas pedals, brake pedals, as well as armored collars that fit around the steering column which protects the ignition. For any manual shift vehicles you can also use an after-market shifter lock. These are effective but not highly visible to prying eyes.

Another thing that you can do is have your mechanic install a hood lock that will prevent easy access to your vehicles battery including the security system.

A loud vehicle alarm system and a highly visible alarm sticker on your windshield can be worth its weight in gold when combined with the addition of a number of other anti-theft security options.

The best vehicle protection is a passive electronic immobilizer which automatically disables the motor when the ignition is turned off. Its not an inexpensive device to install but it is well worth it for your peace of mind. There are a few other benefits you could receive by installing an electronic immobilizer in your vehicle. Some auto insurance companies may offer a discount on your policy if you can confirm that you’ve had one installed. You also may get more money for your vehicle if you sell it down the road.

Last, but not least, check to make sure you have adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel by car on any vacation.

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