Most drivers don’t give their windscreen a second thought – until something goes wrong with it

“A fifth of vehicle crimes take place because people fail to take basic precautionary measures to protect their property”

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears says: “Although the chances of being a victim of crime are at a historic low, with huge cuts in burglary, robbery and car crime in recent years, we must not be complacent. More than one million burglaries, robberies and thefts of and from vehicles were recorded in the 2003 British Crime Survey. A fifth of these crimes take place because people fail to take basic precautionary measures to protect their property.” RAC Auto Windscreens is working in partnership with the Home Office to target car drivers in the fight to keep car crime down. This is the third year RAC Auto Windscreens has run its “Nothing on Display” initiative in support of the Home Office’s campaign to drive down vehicle crime.

Worryingly, the 2005 “RAC Report on Motoring” found that company car drivers are a greater risk than other drivers of becoming a victim of car crime, with nearly half having been broken into at some point. The contents of a briefcase, if left on display, provides a tempting window display for would-be thieves. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to break a side window and snatch a haul worth thousands of pounds and including items like laptop computers, palm pilots, mobile phones, satellite navigation systems, speed camera detectors, CDs and stereos.

RAC Auto Windscreens is encouraging drivers to leave nothing on display in their vehicle with its new Safe Case, a large record-style bag. The Safe Case is made of dark blue reinforced nylon and is big enough to store the contents of a modern company car driver’s briefcase. It can easily be locked out of sight in the boot or carried using either the handle or shoulder strap. (See end of feature to find out how you can get a Safe Case.)

Bill Duffy, RAC Auto Windscreens’ managing director, explains: “Company car drivers are an easy target for thieves as many tend to use their car as their office. The contents of their briefcase tend to be high value and provide rich pickings for the opportunistic thief. We want to encourage drivers to leave nothing on display, so the Safe Case has been designed to accommodate the needs of the modern fleet driver.”

RAC Auto Windscreens has joined forces with the Home Office to offer safety advice to drivers

“Company car drivers are an easy target for thieves as many tend to use their car as their office”

To ensure you do not add to the statistics, follow these safety tips recommended by RAC Auto Windscreens and the Home Office:

• Don’t leave anything on display (even when you are parked in your driveway). That includes a jacket on the back seat, loose change in the ashtray, a chequebook in the glove compartment or mail with your address on it under the seat. Remember: thieves know all the usual hiding places
• If you’re leaving valuables in the boot make sure you put them in at the start of the journey, not when you park you car. You don’t know who could be watching
• Always keep your car locked. This includes closing the sunroof and windows, even if you only leave it for a few seconds
• Don’t leave anything in your car, particularly when it’s parked overnight. 63% of thefts of and from vehicles happen when they are parked outside the home
• Park with care. Park in busy or well-lit areas near CCTV cameras or in police-approved car parks (look out for “ParkMark™”on signs) if possible. You can find out which car parks are approved at www.saferparking.com
• When you’re driving, keep doors locked and windows up, especially in slow traffic. A thief can lean in and steal what’s on your passenger seat in the time it takes for a red light to turn green
• Never leave car documents or spare keys inside the car

Safe Case giveaway
RAC Auto Windscreens has 500 Safe Cases to give away to readers of RoadSafe. To get your free Safe Case, e-mail your name and address to: Safecase@autowindscreens.co.uk