Keeping Your Car Safe: 8 Things You Need

Between weather-related damage, functional issues, and security concerns, keeping your car safe is no easy task. While there's no sure-fire way to prevent your vehicle from harm, there are plenty of accessories on the market to minimize these risks.

Basics like a spare tire and a tire pressure gauge always spring to mind, but gadgets like kill switches and wheel locks also come in handy. 

Throughout this guide, you'll find all our picks for the must-have items to keep your car safe and secure, giving you some much-needed peace of mind behind the wheel.

RFID Blocker

An RFID blocker is an increasingly sought-after item for keyless car owners. It works to prevent thieves from unlocking specific types of vehicles.

RFID stands for Radio-Frequency IDentification, and many newer cars use this technology to allow owners to start their vehicles without inserting their keys. If a thief is close enough to both your car and key, they can use devices to undo the locks on the doors and start the engine. 

Placing your eyes in an RFID blocker, which is usually a small pouch lined with carbon fiber or aluminum, stops the key from omitting an electromagnetic signal, keeping your car protected.

Dash Cam

Despite being around for some time now, dash cams have only surged in popularity in recent years. A digital video recorder that's typically fitted near the rearview mirror, these cameras are incredibly useful for accidents, vandalism, and insurance issues.

While they're not as effective at preventing damage as some other gadgets, the footage they capture can be used as evidence if your car is vandalized and can stop fraudulent injury claims. Their presence may even deter those intending to harm your vehicle from doing so.

Wheel Lock

Among the best and most straightforward anti-theft devices out there, wheel locks make moving a car or removing the tires near impossible.

The concept is simple: The locks or clamps are secured onto the wheels, immobilizing your vehicle. Not only do they make it physically challenging to turn and move the wheels, but they're also easy to spot and, therefore, repellent to thieves.

If you're parking in an unfamiliar area or somewhere where car theft is a common occurrence, having these at your disposal will put you at ease.

Reflective Triangles

A reflective triangle is another item that proves you don't need sophisticated technology to keep you and your car safe.

Should you find yourself involved in an accident or with a broken-down car, standing one of these foldable warning signs behind your vehicle will indicate to other drivers that stationary cars are ahead. 

These are vital to have on hand day or night, and road users may not recognize that the cars are not in motion until they come too close. This could potentially lead to further incidents or damage.

Jumper Cables

Most of us have succumbed to a flat car battery at one stage or another. While a drained battery is always inconvenient, it's one of the easiest issues to remedy as long as you have stashed jumper cables in your car.

These leads can be used to connect your battery to that of another car. Once the cables are in place and the working car's engine is switched on, your vehicle should return to life quickly. 

Though it's more of a quick fix rather than a long-term solution for a failing battery, jumper cables will afford you enough time to safely take your car to a mechanic and get it checked out.

Kill Switch 

Tech-savvy car owners are becoming fond of kill switches, which act as an additional layer of security to keep car thieves at bay. 

Kill switches can be installed into pretty much any car, and until they're activated, the vehicle won't start, even if the thief has the keys. These devices work as a defensive mechanism, cutting off the car's circuit system until it's flicked.

These small but powerful instruments are super effective, as the switches can be placed in unassuming parts of the car that only the owner will be familiar with. It's worth getting a professional to fit a kill switch to ensure maximum efficiency.

Car Tracker

We tend to associate car trackers with professional investigators and police, but these handy items are useful for any car owner. Nowadays, there are a range of different styles of trackers available, each using GPS technology to monitor the whereabouts of the vehicle it's attached to.

Like wheel locks, car trackers are beneficial when parking or driving in places with a heightened risk of theft. Depending on the specific tracker, they can be inserted inside or outside the vehicle, such as the bumper, glove box, or trunk.

Unfortunately, car trackers don't work as a deterrent, as they're generally not made visible, but they make locating stolen vehicles significantly more straightforward.

Tire Pressure Gauge

Keeping your tires in good shape goes hand in hand with ensuring your safety on the road. If your tires are feeling a little flat and you haven't suffered a puncture, a tire pressure gauge will provide you with a reading of the pressure level. From this, you'll get an indication of how soon you'll need to pump some air into your tires based on the optimum pressure for your precise model.

Driving on wheels with insufficient tire pressure is dangerous for many reasons, as this can further damage the wheels and impact the car's overall performance. 

With a tire pressure gauge, which you attach to one of the valve stems on your tire, you'll have a pretty clear idea of when you'll need to visit a gas station or mechanic.

Drive in Confidence With These Helpful Car Safety Tools

Keep your vehicle out of danger by investing in some of these practical, battle-tested items designed to mitigate the risk of harm or damage to your car.

Not only will these tools serve as protection for your car, but they'll also provide you with the reassurance you've been longing for.