Many people run a business that is reliant on their van, whether this is a tradesperson of some description, a courier, or another type of company. Whatever the case, if your van is your livelihood, you need to be doing even more in terms of keeping it in a position of proper protection. With this in mind, the following blog post will be presenting you with a few top tips that are designed with van safety and protection firmly in mind at all times.
Put Security at the Forefront of Your Mind
The first step that you are going to need to be taking is to put security right at the front of your mind. This means that you are actively thinking about the threats that are out there and how you are going to be able to combat them successfully. To begin with, this is going to mean looking whenever you are buying a new van to see how it rates from a security standpoint. However, if you are not going to be doing this anytime soon, it means that you should be looking at the best ways to keep your current vehicle safe, as well as checking out if there are any security threats out there that you need to be especially vigilant for.
Modify the Van as Needed
Sometimes, you are going to need to look at the current van in terms of any modifications that you can be making. There are plenty of add-ons that may well prove to be helpful. Perhaps you could have some lockable toolboxes already installed into the van. It could be that additional locks are put in place, such as one on the steering wheel to prevent the van from being driven away. At the same time, you could also check out the likes of Van Secure as a way of putting in place the additional security measures required. Similarly, there are additional alarms that could be activated if needed. Ultimately, it all depends on the value of the van and what you have in there in the first place, as well as responding to all the potential risks that are out there.
Avoid Leaving Valuables Inside the Van
While this may not always be entirely possible, you should be doing everything that you can in terms of avoiding leaving valuables in the van over an extended period – especially overnight. This is when thieves are most likely to strike, and you do not want to give them any more opportunities than is strictly necessary. If there is anything that you usually leave in the van that could make it more tempting to break into, you could store these in lockable parts of the van, such as the glove compartment. While it may not be practical to empty the van every single night, the very least that you can be doing is ensuring that everything is properly locked away and kept in a position that is not immediately apparent.
Consider Where You Are Parking Carefully
The place that you choose to park can end up making a big difference in terms of the overall van security, so make sure that you are being careful about where you leave it. Ideally in overnight situations, it is going to be in a lockable garage. When you are parking it on the street, it is a nice bonus if there is CCTV or, at the very least, it needs to be in a well-lit area. Anything additional, such as a security bollard, is going to be even better, but it is worth thinking about in detail every time that you happen to park because potential thieves will be looking for the easiest opportunities to make their move.
Keep Track of What Is in Your Van
If the worst does happen, you want to have a clear idea of what was in the vehicle in the first place. This way, when you are making an insurance claim, this is going to be as detailed as you are possibly able to make it. You can also investigate putting watermarks on your very valuable equipment as this will allow it to be returned to you if it is stolen for one reason or another.
Make Everyone Aware of Van Security
If you have a team of people working for you, every one of them must be kept aware of the importance of proper van security. Even if you have people with you on a casual basis, the more pairs of eyes that you have on the van, the better that it is likely to be.
These are all crucial aspects of van security to bear in mind. Of course, break-ins can’t be ruled out completely, but these steps will help you to minimize the risk as much as possible.
