In South Africa we are easily affected by crime. In an initiative to combat crime, the SAPS in association with Crime Line SA and CSI World will address prevalent issues surrounding crime in our country as well as internationally via the 35th annual international Crime Conference.
The #CrimeCon is happening from the 12th to the 15th October in Cape Town and will be looking at ways in which our safety and security is affected as well as initiatives to prevent crime in South Africa and abroad.
The conference will host more than 60 international and local speakers and will be covering topics from human trafficking, sexual offences, drugs, corruption and so forth.
With #CrimeCon in full swing we look at ways at which you can protect yourself and your loved ones in your favourite car. Crimecon and safety on your car features:
1. Anti-Smash and grab
A Smash and Grab incident occurs when a thief, using the element of
surprise, smashes your windows and grabs any valuable items on sight such as laptops, cell phones, handbags etc.
Having your car fitted with anti-smash and grab film helps protect you and your valuables in an incident where this could happen. The anti-smash and grab film holds the broken glass together and shields you and other passengers. The anti-smash and grab film also aids in the window not being able to be broken as easily as with a normal fitted window.
2. Car tracking
Having a car tracker fitted to your vehicle helps you to track your car in the event of it getting stolen and is required by most insurances as a car safety feature. Car tracking also assists in monitoring the area in which your car is driving or heading. This way you can be sure to check should a loved one move into a suspicious area and alert your car tracking company or authorities if needed. Certain car tracking companies also offer the benefit of compensating you the amount equivalent to the value of your vehicle in the event that your car has been stolen and they were unable to recover the vehicle.
3. Immobilizer
Hot wiring refers to bypassing car ignition system and starting the car by connecting wires together; this is one of the oldest known forms of stealing a car. Having an immobiliser fitted in your car will help in the prevention of your car being stolen, as the immobiliser prevents the car from being hotwired or started without the correct key or token
4. Anti-Hijacking
Having an anti-hijack system installed in your car can lower the 
chances of your car being stolen. If the anti-hijacking detects any hijack activities, the car shuts down after some minutes or seconds after it is started or driven. How the system detects the vehicle might be stolen is due to the owner needing to press a certain anti-hijack button. If the button is pressed, the system will understand that the car is being stolen and will shut down all engine function.
5. Tinted Windows
Tinted windows have been around for a while. Although tinted windows 
do not offer a physical barrier of protection, it has the benefit of not making the contents of your car known. Tinted windows are a prevention mechanism since potential thieves cannot see the contents of the car and could deter them from making a robbery attempt.
While you will never know the day you will be hijacked or find your car stolen and criminals getting clever with their criminal tactics, it’s the effort and initiative you put in to help prevent any harm from or your loved ones that matter. To ensure you have installed the correct safety measures on your car, visit Auto Mart.
