Is Airport Parking Safe?

Since the horrific events of September 11, 2001, airport security has increased a great deal. While security is still imperfect, measures have been taken to protect the interests of people who fly. Likewise, airport parking lots have seen a boost in security. The short, simple answer to the question of airport parking safety is "Yes, airport parking is relatively safe." Airports generally employ security teams specifically for their parking areas, which is in addition to airport police forces and security guards who also work in a capacity to protect the property--cars--which travelers leave behind when they fly.

Of course, there are degrees of safety and a variety of things that are considered risks to your vehicle. Despite the security teams, there are individuals and groups that seek out vulnerable vehicles to loot or steal. There are easy but important measures you can take to increase the safety of your vehicle when leaving it at the airport.

First, a good way to prevent minor damage is to park your car far away from other cars. This will prevent dents and dings from other vehicles with careless owners. This will help prevent minor collisions and others from opening doors that crash into your car's body, causing expensive damage. This will also make your car more visible than it would be in the sea of other cars, making attempts at jimmying the lock or shattering the window seem less appealing.

Remember to remove all valuables from your car, or at the very least, from site. Anything that looks valuable to a crook--money, jewelry, financial documents, or keys, for example--will seem to make the risk they take more rewarding.

An obvious but often neglected tactic to thwart thieves is locking your doors and rolling your windows up. Most people would be surprised at the number of vehicles and other property that is stolen because the owner of the car forgot to lock it up. Many criminals work their way through airport parking lots checking the doors of each vehicle as they go. Finding one that is unlocked is a thief's jackpot. By not securing your car in this way, you have not only made it easy for them to take what may be inside the car, but also you have made it easy for them to get under the steering wheel where they can manage to get the engine started.

Get "The Club" or a similar device. These devices secure the car's steering wheel so that thieves cannot manage to turn the wheel if they do manage to get inside the car. Also, put on the emergency break so phony towing companies will have difficulty towing your vehicle away to a chop shop.

All of these tips will give your vehicle an extra bit of safety while it sits for long periods of time at the airport. They are also good things to remember in general--anywhere there are cars there will be people hoping to steal from them or steal them altogether.