With a car stolen every 24 minutes in Malaysia*, it is important for Malaysian drivers to learn how to avoid/minimise the risk of their vehicles being stolen or hijacked.
- At traffic lights – Reduce the chances of being hijacked by keeping your doors locked and windows rolled up.
- When in parking mode – Do not leave your keys in ignition! Most car hijackings occur in split seconds while you are on errands at the ATM machine, paying for petrol/gas, or dropping by at the grocery store. Do not leave your car unlocked and unattended.
- Always on alert and vigilant – Car hijackers often wait for a good opportunity and will attack their prey when the situation is on their side. They will likely to be at a specific spot and lurks for unattentive drivers that may leave their cars unlocked and susceptible to easy jackings.
- Do not park in concealed/hidden areas – Vehicles are often violated and stolen from a remote and quiet road or parking lot. Always park in well-lighted area, close to pedestrian traffic and in line of sight of most populace.
- Reduce the chances of being towed away – There are instances where car thieves will use tows to steal you cars because people often associate tow trucks with broken-down cars that need to be fixed and it does not really create much disturbance. Thus, park you cars with the wheels turned towards the curb of the driveways and parking lots. This creates a hassle for thieves to tow the car away and they will likely target other cars.
- Display no reason for thieves to steal your car – Do not leave any valuable such as briefcases, bags, or coins visible. This will attract thieves that may break your car just to grab a few hundred ringgit worth of items.
- Do not leave your parking ticket within the car – Statistic shows that gated parking lots offer much better security because it minimise the chances of thieves running away with your car. Thus, do not leave your parking ticket within the car at all. Always keep the ticket with you. If you are using Touch n Go card, bring the card with you when you exit the car.
Tips on personal safety for drivers
- Ladies, do not walk alone to your car that is park in office buildings or shopping complexes. More so if it is after office hours where there’s little pedestrians nearby. Always get someone to tag along to your car if you are working late, or after a late night cinema. Contact nearby security officers to help you in case you do not have friends nearby.
- When you are driving or walking, be vigilant and attentive to your surroundings. Be wary of any suspicious, out of place people near your parked car.
- Upon entering the vehicle, take a quick glance to make sure that your back seat is empty. Bad person could be hiding and waiting for the perfect moment. After getting into your car, lock all doors and roll up the windows.
- In the event that you are lost and without any GPS service to guide you, call your friends for instructions or go to nearby petrol station or shops to ask for directions. Remember, do not stop your vehicle by the road side with the hazard light enabled. This will only invite trouble as it may attract opportunistic criminals towards you.
- While driving, if you are hit by another car from the back and you feel that the car deliberately collide with you, do not stop. Robbers often employ this tactic to stop their target, robbing them and probably running away with the car. Thus, once you are hit from the back, try to note the vehicle type and registration that hit you for you to make a police report.
- Tailgaters are a nuisance. If other drivers are harassing you by forcing you to race with him or stopping their car in front of you, please slow down, keep on driving and do not continue the provocations. Avoid confrontations at all cost.
- Do not leave your young children or sleeping spouse inside an unlocked & unattended car. Always ask your children to lock the car when you are out and notify your sleeping spouse that you need him/her to be vigilant.
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*based on 2011 statistic by Insurance Services Malaysia Berhad Statistical Bulletin.