SIMPLE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR CAR SAFER AS THE NIGHTS DRAW IN

The end of summer brings plenty of changes. Cooler mornings, falling leaves and the annual debate about whether it is really cold enough to put the heating on yet.

It also means the evenings start getting noticeably darker.

As autumn arrives, many of us will spend more time driving, parking and returning to our cars after dark, which makes September a good time to think about a few simple security habits.

There is no way to remove every risk, but small changes can help make your car less attractive to opportunistic thieves and give you a little extra peace of mind.

Think about where you park

When you have a choice, try to park somewhere well lit and visible. Busy areas with good lighting and regular foot traffic may be less appealing to opportunistic thieves than somewhere secluded.

At home, use your driveway or garage if you have one and make sure any outdoor security lighting is working properly. It is an easy thing to overlook during the brighter summer months, so autumn is a useful time to check.

Keep valuables out of sight

You might know that the bag on your back seat contains nothing more interesting than gym clothes. Someone looking through the window doesn’t.

Where possible, take bags, wallets, devices and other valuables with you rather than leaving them in the vehicle. Even relatively inexpensive items can attract attention.

It is also worth removing things such as charging cables when they are not being used, as they can suggest that a phone or other device may be somewhere in the car.

Think about where you keep your keys

Modern car technology makes life much easier, but if you have a keyless vehicle, it is worth thinking about where you store your keys at home. Try not to leave them immediately next to doors or windows.

Some drivers also choose to keep keyless fobs in signal blocking pouches, sometimes known as Faraday pouches. If you use one, it is sensible to check it periodically to make sure it is still doing its job.

Check the car is actually locked

It sounds obvious. But most of us have walked away from the car at some point and then wondered: Did I lock it? Take an extra second to check before you leave.

Make sure the doors, boot and windows are properly closed and secured, especially if the car will be parked overnight. It is a very simple habit, but probably one of the easiest security checks to build into your routine.

Don’t forget what is in the boot

Keeping things out of sight is better than leaving them on display, but the safest approach is usually to remove valuables from the car altogether.

If you have been shopping, travelling or carrying work equipment, remember to empty the boot when you get home. It can be easy to leave something there simply because you cannot see it.

Keep your car looking cared for

Car security is not only about alarms and gadgets. Simple habits matter too. Keep the vehicle locked, remove valuables and make sure broken lights or obvious damage are dealt with.

If you are going away for a while, it can also be helpful to ask someone you trust to keep an occasional eye on the car.

Get ready for darker journeys too

Autumn is also a good point in the year to give the car itself a quick once over. Check that your lights are working properly, make sure your windscreen wipers are doing their job and look at the condition of your tyres.

It is also worth checking that anything you keep in the car for emergencies still works. A torch is a great example. Discovering that it has flat batteries while standing beside the car on a dark November evening is not ideal.

A few small habits can make a difference

Keeping your car safer does not have to mean making major changes. Often, it is simply about paying attention to the basics.

Choose sensible places to park. Keep valuables out of sight. Store your keys securely. Check the vehicle is locked before you walk away.

As the nights draw in, those few extra seconds can quickly become part of your normal routine.

And once that is done, you can move on to the much bigger autumn question: Is September too early to put the heating on? We will leave that one to you.