Holiday Season Airport Parking Safty Tips

You could be someone who is travelling to another city for Thanksgiving,  It could be Christmas or New Year’s or, in fact, any other holiday; holiday parking safety is an important factor that will safeguard your vehicle and belongings inside it. It is a smart travel investment and ensures your vehicle remains intact and operational when you return from your trip. 

After carefully studying the patterns that are involved in the holiday seasons at the airport parking facility as well as the off-site parking facilities, asking parkers about their experience and suggestions, and discussing this matter extensively with other parking providers, I have written down this blog to ensure the travellers have maximum security. 

Understanding the Parking Risks During the Holiday Season

When it comes to holiday travel, specific conditions are established that help in elevating the security arrangements of the parking facility. These arrangements are beyond the normal day parking settings, and therefore, enhanced measures are needed to make them happen. 

Why Holiday Parking Means Elevated Security Threats

Opportunity for Criminals

• The absence or presence is predictable. Everyone knows that the family has been away for a long period of time, which makes the vehicle vulnerable to potential theft.
• There is a high chance that the parked vehicle during the holiday season will have at least some sort of gifts and valuables inside it that can be stolen.
• The holiday season indicates that the staff of the parking facility must already be exhausted due to high demand and capacity. This makes the cars an easy target.
• There is a danger of weather damage, especially for cars parked in outdoor spaces.
• Since the cars are parked for a longer period of time, they can be subject to any damage and theft activity, thus making them exposed. This is common, especially in the case of cars parked outdoors and in less-lit areas.

Reality Based on Statistics 

Based on the statistics, the holiday parking season has seen 40% more chances of theft as compared to normal days. The Christmas week itself has shown the highest number of theft incidents. This is then followed by Thanksgiving and New Year’s. 

Characteristics of a Target Vehicle

• These are mostly minivans and large SUVs. Large vehicles show the possibility of there being a family and therefore having the possibility of having at least some valuables. 
• Vehicles that are parked without any cover. This means that the packages or anything inside is completely visible.
• Cars are parked in those areas with little or no lighting arrangements. 
• Parked vehicles in the lot that have obvious signs of being left behind for a longer period of time. This could be a gathering of dust, an accumulation of snow, etc. 
• Cars and other vehicles that are expensive and of high value. 

Common Security Incidents During Holiday Parking

Car Break-ins 
 

• Visible valuables are being stolen with smash-and-grab theft incidents.
• Incidents when vehicles were searched for hidden things. 
• Theft related to any electronic devices.
• Any other theft of a highly valuable item. 

Car Theft
 

• The entire car was stolen. 
• Theft of a catalytic converter. This is most common during the holidays.
• Theft related to car wheels and luxury items attached to the body
• Car parts are getting stolen that are high in demand..
   

Incidents of Vandalism
 

• Any damage caused to the vehicle during the holiday mischief.
• Theft attempts prompted vandalism signs.
• Damage caused by extreme weather conditions .

Secure Parking Tips During Airport Holidays
 

Pre-Departure Preparation
 

When you prepare your car for safety before departing for the airport, it creates the opportunity of having more than one security layer to make sure your car remains safe and protected in the parking lot. 
Interior Cleaning

Clearing All Visible Items
 

• Make sure to remove items like GPS units, phone chargers, and device mounts. 
• Personal items should also be removed before leaving for the airport parking. This includes your sunglasses, clothing bags, or any other valuable personal item.
• High-value items should obviously be removed. This includes, but is not limited to, jewelry items, credit cards, cash, and any important documents. 
• Any items that you have wrapped and presented inside your vehicle should be removed. This means no gifts, no shopping bags, and even no gift receipts. 
• Personal electronic devices are the most common target during a car theft. Make sure you remove any laptops, tablets, watches, and other business-related equipment except for the one you will be carrying to your flight. 
   

Organizing the Car’s Trunk
 

• All the items inside the trunk should be removed or covered. 
• Avoid making emergency supplies visible at any cost. 
• If some necessary items are present inside the trunk, make sure to arrange them in such a way that they don’t make any rolling noise.
• If possible, the trunk of the vehicle should be locked separately from the cabin. 

Activating the Security System for Enhanced Safety
 

• Make sure you have activated the factory security system at the highest sensitivity. 
• Before leaving for the parking, make sure to test your alarm. 
• Make sure to see that the alarm in the battery system is functional.
• In case of high-value cars, consider an aftermarket alarm system. 
   

Additional Safety Measures
 

• Lock your car’s steering wheel with a lock. Visible club devices are known to reduce the chances of theft.
• Make sure your car has hidden trackers for recovery. 
• Go for a window etching arrangement. There should be a VIN etched on the car’s windows that will discourage chop-shop theft activity. 
• If possible, try to go for indoor covered parking.

Documentation and Photographs

• The entire environment should be photographed from different angles. 
• Make sure to also take pictures of the car’s interior and the items inside.
• The fuel level and the odometer recording should also be noted.
• Also, photograph the car license plate and VIN. 
• Keep documents safe that are insurance-related for future claims. 

While it is important to also make sure the parking facility you’re going for has ample security measures, it is still important to do your own homework as well and prepare your vehicle for maximum safety.