The Kill Switch
There are a number of theft prevention devices for sale that will keep your car safe from criminals. One of the less expensive devices involves a kill switch. Kill switches are used in any number of electronics, typically to have a method of shutting down a program or piece of hardware when no other options exist. The kill switch for a car is one of the only types of switches that exists almost solely for theft prevention. The switch is wired to the ignition, and usually remote-controlled by a device attached to the user's keychain. Pressing the kill switch will disable the ignition and thwart a thief's chances of getting too far in the stolen vehicle. The downside to the kill switch, of course, is that the owner must realize the car has been stolen before taking action.
GPS Technology
Sold under various brand names, such as Lo-Jack and OnStar, GPS satellite technology allows a third party company to know where your vehicle is at all times. If a car is stolen, the owner only needs to call the company and report the theft, and they will be able to track the car to its current location. Often, these devices are used in conjunction with the police department so they may find and arrest car thieves promptly.
Car Alarms
While a car alarm, in and of itself, does nothing to prevent a thief from stealing a car, it is used as a deterrent. The loud sounds of the alarm tend to draw attention to the car, and a thief will likely flee the scene on foot rather than continue to try and steal the vehicle. Of course, the downside to the prevalence of car alarms is that many of these alarms are ignored because of the frequency in which they go off for reasons other than theft. Thunder, accidental touching, owner error and even loud bass sounds can cause a car alarm to go off.
Tags: kill switch, theft prevention