In the coming weeks many of us are going through our holidays lists and spending time shopping for our friends and family. With more people shopping this time of year it is important to keep some easy holiday shopping safety precautions in mind to help protect yourself and your vehicle. Last thing you want is to lose all your gifts because you forgot to lock your car door.
Some Holiday Shopping Safety Tips
Park in a safe spot – When looking for a parking spot most people try to grab as close a spot to the store entrance as they can, but that isn’t always the best idea. If you’re going to be shopping late into the night a great holiday shopping safety tip is to park in a spot illuminated by the parking lot lights. As an added bonus if you park directly under the light that will help prevent the car in front of yours from pulling too far into the spot and hitting your bumper.
Lock it in the trunk – Your best bet is to leave any valuables you won’t need while shopping at home, but if you’re driving from store to store make sure you put all your purchases out of sight in your trunk. If you have an SUV or other car where that isn’t an option do your best to hide them from sight by covering with a blanket. Individuals who break into cars generally are looking for vehicles with items that can be easily grabbed, so listen to this holiday shopping safety tip and make sure everything is out of sight or left at home.
Move your car – If you are a person who likes to periodically go back to your car to drop off purchases get into the habit of moving your car to a new location each time you drop off items. There’s always the potential that someone who is scoping out the parking lot sees you drop off packages, so even if it’s only a few rows down change your parking spot.
Have your keys ready – When returning to your car an important holiday shopping safety tip is to have your keys in your hand and ready to go. Fumbling around looking for keys can make you a target to less than honest individuals.
Mess with devices before moving – While your car is in park and before you start moving use your GPS unit or phone to find your next location. There’s a lot more activity in shopping center parking lots this time of year so you need to be fully focused on driving and not distracted. It’s also illegal to use devices while driving in many locations.
The most important holiday safety shopping tip is to pay attention and be aware of your surroundings. If someone suspicious is lurking around, go back into the store and have security walk you to your vehicle. Pay attention all the shoppers and vehicles around you both when you are driving and walking in the parking lot, so you don’t end up in an accident. It’s also safer and more fun to shop with a friend, so invite someone along with you.