Your car is a part of your daily life. From everyday commuting to road trips, it is where you spend on average 32 hours a year in traffic. As a result of this, it can be easy to bring things into your car that often get left behind and become forgotten. Whether it’s half drunk water bottles to electronics, many drivers store a variety of objects in their vehicles.

However, leaving objects or belongings in your car can lead to theft or damage. The total number of break-ins in the UK averages at 9,000 break-ins a year, and while there is no way to completely protect the contents of your car, clearing it out can be a great way to better secure it.

Medication

Leaving any form of medication in your vehicle can have dangerous effects. By leaving your medication in hot or cold conditions, you can reduce the potency and effectiveness of your medication. Medicine should be kept at room temperature; by keeping it in your car you are placing it in varying temperatures, causing the effects of the medication to be diluted or ineffective. By removing the medication from your car, you can reduce the risk of it not working – specifically seizure medication, insulin and anticoagulants which need special care.

Electronics

Leaving electronics, from laptops to sat navs, in your car acts as an incentive to break-into a vehicle, with the total of car break-ins in the UK having reached 250,000 in 2017 alone. While it may seem obvious that electronics encourage theft, leaving most types of electronics in your vehicle in cold temperatures can lead to a deterioration in the product’s functionality. Leaving your devices in cold conditions can affect the battery life of your devices and can also cause the hardware of your devices to become brittles. The information on your electronics can also be easily stolen, leaving many drivers vulnerable in the event of a break-in. If you must keep your electronics such as your laptop or USB drive in the car, ensure that your information is encrypted and secured and that your items are always placed out of sight.

Valuables

While leaving your valuables in your vehicle is a risky idea, many drivers either forget or don’t consider the threat great enough. However, some of the most likely items to be stolen from a vehicle include sunglasses, clothing/shoes and grocery shopping bags, making it impossible to be able to judge what could lead to a vehicle break-in. Valuable belongings such as jewellery, expensive clothing and even sunglasses act as a likely target for thieves – and while it may be easier to store them in your vehicle, it is safer not to.

Important documents

From your passport to your tax forms, leaving any form of important documents in your car is not advisable. While important documents often do not have the same monetary value as other valuables such as a mobile phone, jewellery or a laptop, having important documents stolen from your vehicle can leave you exposed and vulnerable to those who can use your personal or business information for their own gain. Documents being taken from your car can ultimately lead to identity theft, as your passport, driving licence, bank statements or even junk mail with your personal details on can all provide a thief with the means to steal your identity.

At insurethebox we specialise in providing insurance to young drivers, and work hard to encourage safe driving practices – including keeping your vehicle safe. Looking to find out more about what we do? Have a look at how insurethebox works. Alternatively, to find out more about what options are available to you, get in touch.