Parking safely and securely

But it’s not just finding a parking space that is a problem, protecting your car from criminals is also an issue. Although reports show car crime has dropped 61% since it hit a record high in 1995, there were still over 1.7 million car-related thefts in 2006-07. (Source: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/vehicle-crime/).

Here are some useful tips about how to park safely, securely and avoid parking tickets.

Safe parking

·         Reverse into your parking space

According to Advanced Driving UK, it is safer to reverse into a parking space you can see than reverse into oncoming traffic when you are ready to leave. It’s also easier to control a car moving forwards when it is first started.

·         Fit parking sensors to your car

Parking sensors use ultrasonic technology to detect obstacles behind you. They let you know how close they are and, are an effective way of preventing accidents caused by misjudging distances.

·         Be considerate

Don’t steal a parking space that someone else has clearly been waiting for. You wouldn’t like it if someone did it to you.

Secure parking

·         Reverse park against a wall

This makes it harder for thieves to break into your boot.

·         Fit an immobilser

Surveys conducted by the Home Office show that cars fitted with immobilsers are over 10 times safer than cars without them.

·         Park in a locked garage

If you have access to a locked garage, this is the safest place to park your car.

·         Park in a patrolled or Police-approved car park.

These car parks are watched and provide extra security for your car.

For more information about Police-approved car parks in your area, visit www.saferparking.com. 

·         Park in a well-lit place

If all else fails and you have to park on the street, choose a place that is well-lit, is used by other motorists and is on a busy street. Thieves don’t like to work in the spotlight or with an audience.

·         Park in view of CCTV cameras

If you see CCTV cameras on the street, try to park within their range so that if anything happens to your car, you can use the footage to find the culprit.

·         Lock all valuables away out of sight, lock all doors and set your car alarm (if you have one).

Avoiding parking tickets

After a long day at work, shopping or in a business meeting, you don’t want to come back to your car to find you’ve been issued a parking ticket. The best way to avoid being booked is to know what not to do. The website www.parkingticket.co.uk provides a wide range of information about parking tickets from parking law to what to do if you get a ticket. Parking restrictions in the UK are enforced by either traffic wardens (they are employed by the Police) or parking attendants (they are employed by the local council or a subcontractor). There are 40 reasons that you can be issued a ticket for. So before you park, check the signs around you. You may need to pay and display, or have disabled or resident passes clearly displayed. Of course, you could be issued a ticket incorrectly. Parking wardens and attendants are only human and do make mistakes. If fact, more than 60% of the Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) parking tickets issued in London in 2004-05 were unfair (source: http://www.ticketbusters.co.uk/). If you think you’ve been issued a ticket unfairly, then find out how to appeal your fine at www.ticketbusters.co.uk.

Protecting your property

Car insurance is a necessity. It provides peace of mind that should anything happen to your car or if you fall victim to thieves, your insurance will cover the replacement/repair costs. There is a range of car insurance options available to suit your specific needs.