Law enforcement departments of various cities in the United States have discovered a rather peculiar phenomenon due to the pandemic. As people are choosing to stay at home as much as they can to avoid contracting the highly infectious coronavirus, there has been an increase in car theft numbers. In a peculiar case, a stolen car was recovered and returned to the owner who had not reported the theft because they had no idea that it was missing, while they were self-quarantined at home.

As compared to last year, New York and Seattle reported an increase in auto-theft by 53% and 24%, respectively. Whereas The Los Angeles Police Department received 1,390 reports of stolen cars between Mid-March to Mid-April, 2020, which indicates an 11.3% jump in numbers from just one month earlier, when 1,249 cars were stolen. One possible and the most probable reason for this is that as more and more people choose to stay home, leaving their car parked in a designated area, car thieves are taking this chance to steal right from under the noses of the car owners. Most people believe that their cars and other vehicles are safe within the boundaries of their home or in the parking area. However, a study revealed that about 30% of stolen cars were lifted from these places.

GPS tracking – a way to safeguard your car against theft

Auto-theft is number four on the list of top crimes in the United States. However, since GPS tracking was introduced, the numbers in some states have gone down to a whopping 78%. GPS technology is an indispensable tool when it comes to tracking – your vehicle, assets, pets, family members, and more. GPS trackers receive position information from a least three of the thirty-one operational satellites orbiting the earth, thus giving a fairly accurate location. But how does that help you in keeping your car safe from theft? 

GPS tracking devices transmit real-time location, keeping you informed about your car at all times. This feature proves helpful in case your car gets stolen. Usually, it can take the police weeks to track and recover a stolen vehicle. But with the help of the location information, the law enforcement officers can easily track and recover your vehicle in a short time. It also reduces the chances of your car being dismantled for parts and saves you the time and effort required to make an insurance claim.

GeoFencing is another great feature that several GPS tracking devices are now equipped with. It allows the user to create some virtual perimeters around places like home, office, and public garages. If your car enters or exits the predefined boundaries, an alert is sent to the device of your choice – mobile, laptop, or tablet. So, if your car is being taken away from your garage at night while you are asleep, as soon as the thieves cross the pre-set threshold, you will receive a notification and can alert the local authorities for faster action. The feature is also helpful for parents with teenage drivers at home. Car rentals and cab companies can also use GeoFencing to track their vehicles and curb the chances of unauthorized use.

GPS tracking is two-fold technology – a small discreet device installed in the OBD II port of your car and a software application that you can download on any device of your choice. These two work in tandem to give you the best security for your vehicle. Location data is recorded on the device and is accessible to you at all times. If your car is parked at public parking while you are in another city for vacation, you can easily view and monitor your car’s location through the GPS tracking device interface.

Although a GPS tracking device cannot stop thieves from taking your car away, it can surely help in easy and quick retrieval. Also, once the thieves become aware of the presence of a GPS tracker in your car, they might abandon the plan and leave your vehicle alone.

Benefits of GPS tracking device:

Apart from keeping your car safe from thefts, GPS tracking systems also offer various other benefits to car owners. The system can help in calculating the shortest distance and less congested route to your destination, thereby saving fuel. With real-time traffic updates, you can also be assured to reach on time for an important meeting at the other end of the city.

GPS tracking systems are also programmed to monitor and record driving behavior and preferences. Alerts are generated for bad driving habits like unnecessary speeding and hard braking, ensuring the safety of the driver as well as the vehicle. New and teenage drivers can benefit from these alerts and improve their driving, thus saving money on the damages and repairs caused by accidents and rash driving. Proper driving and routine maintenance of your car will only increase its life.

Cars are machines, and like every other machine, they too can breakdown. And such instances happen anytime, anywhere. GPS tracking systems offer a huge advantage in such cases. Many GPS tracking system providers also offer road-side assistance. In case your car breakdowns in the middle of nowhere, you can generate a request for assistance on the application. Your location is then sent to the nearest repair shop. You can also track the estimated time of arrival and location of the repairman. 

Usually, when you opt for a GPS tracking device, it is best to install it in all your vehicles, including the ones your family and employees use. In case of an emergency like accidents, this system will alert you and aid you in taking necessary and quick action, potentially saving the lives of your loved ones. The faster you can notify the local emergency services, the better treatment your family can get.

Finding the best GPS provider for your car:

The market for GPS tracking systems is very competitive. With the wide range of options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the one that best suits your need. However, these criteria can help in choosing the one you need:

• Location: There are two types of location tracking available – real and passive. Passive systems record data at an interval of 30 seconds, but require a lot of storage. Data recording intervals in the real-time system can vary from 15 seconds to only once a day. Based on your location information requirement, you can choose one of these two. Real-time location, however, allows you to take prompt action in case of an emergency.
• Economical: When you opt for GPS tracking, you need to pay for the device once, and for a tracking plan every month which varies based on services and add-ons you opt for. Several providers offer a bunch of services that might not be useful for you. Thus, choosing a plan that perfectly caters to your requirement will be more affordable.
• Notification and Alerts: If you live in one of those cities where the rate of auto theft is higher than others, you will need a GPS tracking system that sends you immediate alerts and notification for your predetermined preferences like motion alert, engine status, fuel alert, and more.
• Quality: A technology is as strong as its hardware. That’s why you must choose a hardware device that is sturdy and reliable. If you travel a lot or your car is mostly parked in open spaces, it is best to choose a GPS tracking device that is weatherproof and water-resistant and can withstand the harsh climate.
• Installation and maintenance: You are getting a GPS solution to make your job easy, not harder. From all the options you have, it is best to choose a device that is easy to install, does not require any expertise, and is low-maintenance. The best GPS trackers are the ones that can be easily plugged into the OBD II port of your car.
• Voice command: This is a comparatively new accessibility feature, and offers a hassle-free way to operate your GPS. You can use voice command to set destinations, change GeoFencing preferences, and more without much effort.
• Customer support: Technology is unpredictable. You might need to understand it and tweak its features according to your requirements. That’s why choosing a service provider that has excellent customer service, preferably available round-the-clock, is best.

For more information on Car GPS tracking systems and related services reach out to Matrack Inc.