Here some simple steps you can take to minimise the risk of having your car stolen:
- Always ensure that your doors are securely locked and windows fully wound up.
- Never leave a second set of keys in your car.
- Never start your car and then leave it unattended.
- Thieves target cars at night so ensure that you park your car in a secure well-lit area.
- Use off-street parking where possible.
- Have an immobiliser or alarm fitted to better protect your vehicle.
- Never attach a name tag with your address or car registration to your keys.
- Never leave valuables in your car - always take them with you when you leave.
- If your car stereo has a detachable face, always take it with you.
- If you must leave valuables in your car, move them into the boot out of sight before you have reached your destination - thieves have been known to target vehicles by watching people move valuables to their boot.
Immobilisers
- If you are buying a new or used car, and it is not fitted with an immobiliser, you must have one fitted before ownership is transferred into your name.
- The onus is on the purchaser to have the immobiliser fitted, and is not the responsibility of the seller of the vehicle.
- An immobiliser is a device, which prevents the engine from being started. All vehicles manufactured after 2001 for sale in Australia are required by law to be fitted with an immobiliser.
- When buying a car manufactured before 2001, you need to check that one is fitted and that it complies with the Vehicle standards regulations. RAC members can check with Tech Advisory on 9365 4720.
- There are 1, 2 and 3 stage immobilisers - refering to the three systems on the car which can be immobilised:
- The fuel system - the fuel injection system or fuel pump is switched off.
- The ignition system - in this case the spark to the spark plugs is switched off.
- Starter system - the starter motor is prevented from turning.
Alarms
An alarm does the same job as an immobiliser but it also sounds a warning if the vehicle is being tampered with.
Road Rage
RAC Policy on road rage defines it as driving-related aggression of an impulsive nature and between strangers, precipitated by an incident involving a vehicle, where the subsequent actions or behaviour of one road user towards another are intended or interpreted as being intimidatory.
- This definition allows us to include mild and severe incidences and try to find a way to accurately count both how often it occurs and what sorts of road rage behaviour happens in Western Australia.
- There are some easy strategies you can adopt to avoid being a perpetrator of road rage.
- Stay calm, record the offending vehicle's details and drive to the nearest police station.
Disclaimer
This information is provided by Royal Automobile Club (WA) Inc (RAC) voluntarily as a public service. It has been prepared in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the time of publication. Nonetheless, the reliability and accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed and the RAC expressly disclaims liability for any act or omission done or not done in reliance on the information and for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, arising from such act or omission. This information is intended to be a guide only and readers should obtain their own independent advice and their own necessary inquiries.
