Keep your vehicle safe

Working as part of a fleet carries a huge amount of responsibility, not only for the vehicle that you are driving but also for the goods that you carry. It’s often these goods that make fleet drivers more prone to be targeted by thieves.

Although not all unfortunate events can be avoided, there are certain steps you can take to ensure that your vehicle is as protected as it can be:

The first is the most obvious which is to lock you vehicle at all times and especially lock the back doors while you are driving. A vehicle alarm is the first thing you should install. Insurance companies will often give a discount if vehicles have good alarms fitted. However, you should ensure that you have fully comprehensive insure for your vehicle. This is due to that fact that thieves will often ‘smash and grab’ leaving as much destruction as possible in their wake and leaving you without a vehicle.

Keeping all valuable items out of site while in the vehicle is a good idea. If possible take all personal documents, work tools and any other equipment out of the vehicle at night. You can also mark you vehicle with a sign to confirm that nothing of value has been left inside.

The tools you use can also be security marked so that they can be easily identifiable. Stemming from this, you should always buy your tools from a reputable dealer and not second hand as they may be stolen. If you believe tools you’ve purchased may be stolen, alert the police immediately.

Finally, although being in a vehicle all day does mean that you will need to take breaks for fuel or food etc, try and keep these to a minimum. The longer your vehicle is left unattended, the more of a target it becomes.

(image courtesy of chrisroll /freedigitalphoos.net)