Car trackers: How they work and why they’re important

Vehicle crime is unfortunately a reality in South Africa, so it’s important to take steps to protect your car. In this blog post we provide some tips on how to keep your vehicle safe, one of which includes the installation of a car tracker. Find out how car trackers work and why they’re important.

There are some relatively simple steps you can take to make your car look less appealing to a criminal:

• Keep all valuables out of sight in the car when you leave. You could put them in storage areas, or better still, take them with you whenever you finish driving.
• Be weary of remote jamming and ensure your car is properly locked by checking your door handles.
• Apply the steering lock if your car has one (this is usually achieved simply by wiggling the steering wheel a bit after you turn off the ignition). You could also get an old-school manual steering lock for added safety.
• Make sure your car alarm is properly armed and activated.

These steps will help make your car less appealing to criminals, but they are in no way perfect. For additional security, it would be worth looking into having a car tracker for your vehicle.

Car trackers work by using GPS (Global Positioning System) signals to place where your car is with pinpoint accuracy. GPS works by using satellites in space, and there is virtually no ‘out of bounds’ coverage, so long as you have a good view of the sky from your vehicle.

If your car is stolen, the tracker will be able to pinpoint where your car is being driven. So, whilst your car may be gone, you’ll know exactly where it is using the vehicle tracking software that often comes with the trackers. The plus side to that means there’s a far greater chance of your car being recovered.

Many trackers nowadays come as part of an integrated system including a mobile app which allows you to monitor your car from your phone, and are supported by rapid-response retrieval and recovery systems.

Trackers therefore have the potential to save you a huge amount of money in the long run. Not only can they avoid you losing your vehicle altogether, they also have a positive influence on your car insurance cost, too.

Cars with trackers installed are generally viewed to be slightly lower risk, as a recovered vehicle means the insurance company would not have to pay out for any theft claim. The amount the premium will be adjusted depends on different insurance companies, but, most will offer a price cut if you have a tracker installed.

As vehicle crime continues to rise even under Coronavirus restrictions, just keeping your car locked and hiding valuables may not be enough. Consider a tracking device for the peace of mind, and to save money.

It’s a good idea to shop around for new insurance quotes at least once a year, especially ifyour living or work situation has changed. For example, if you now live in an area that is more secure or you now park your car in a locked garage overnight, your premiums could be lower. Added to that, as your period of no claims increases, your premiums might also decrease. The MotorHappy team is dedicated to making the process smoother by sourcing quotes from some of South Africa’s leading insurance companies. Click here to get your free car insurance quote.