Focus On
Security and Insurance
CRIMINALS VAN LOVING
the International Security Register (ISR). Legitimate owners are verified by cross- checking a unique code issued with each key – stored on the ISR – against the van’s registration on the PNC, which can be used to flag whether it has been marked as stolen. Perhaps the biggest problem with locks is that they will only work if the driver remembers to close the door that they are attached to; and harassed drivers on multi-drop work with armfuls of packages may forget to shut that door and ensure it is locked securely. Telematics specialist HH Driveright can remind them to do so with the GM 2020.
If a driver walks away from his vehicle without locking it, it triggers an audible warning reminding him to do so. If he fails to respond then the van is automatically immobilised after ten seconds. Depending on the vehicle, GM 2020 may also be able to lock all the doors automatically, although it will not of course be able to do so if they have been left wide open.
“Eight out of 10 drivers do not lock their van while delivering a parcel,” says the company. Says Clark: “Always lock your van when it is left unattended and that includes when you’re just popping in and out of somewhere for a minute or two. You can never be too safe.” Keep your keys secure, and if you have to park your van somewhere overnight, then ensure it is in a well- lit area. Park it close to a wall if you possibly can in such a way that the rear or nearside doors cannot be accessed. Never leave valuable items such as tablets or smartphones lying around in the cab. The same goes for valuable power tools.
If you cannot take them with you for some reason, then hide them. Many vans have hidden compartments under the passenger seat. Alternatively you can lock them away out of sight in the load area. If you employ drivers, then check their CVs meticulously before you hire them, and always take up references.
The 12-month career gap that an individual cannot account for may have involved time spent as a guest of His Majesty.
Keyless ignition can make vans vulnerable to theft. If you have a van fitted with such a system and regularly park on your drive or outside your house, then store the keys in a Faraday pouch.
It is alas not unknown for a driver to be confronted by a thief who takes the keys to their vehicle at knifepoint. If that happens, then the driver should hand over the keys immediately and not try to prevent the van and its contents from being driven away.
If the stolen vehicle is equipped with GM 2020 however, and the device has been configured accordingly, then HH Driveright can immobilise it remotely when the thief next stops. The van’s location can be pinpointed by the device, and the police alerted. HH Driveright also offers the S7 GPS tracker. It sends alerts to the owner via a dedicated call centre if it suspects
somebody is attempting to steal a van, then tracks the vehicle if the theft is successful. The police can then be informed.
An immobiliser can be added to S7 as an option.
While van manufacturers have been periodically criticised for equipping their products with basic and easily overcome security devices on the production line, they are by no means ignoring the responsibility they have to frustrate thieves.
TVL has worked with Ford for several
years. Featuring a high-security cylinder designed to prevent the driver’s door from being picked open, its RepLock has been available as a factory-fit option on the big blue oval’s light commercials since 2018.
It has developed three factory-fit anti-theft packages for Ford which have recently been upgraded, with more protection around key components; and with the new Transit Custom particularly in mind.
Increasing a van’s physical security beyond what was fitted at the factory can go a long way to securing a vehicle.
The SlamHandle Security pack features latch shields on the rear and side load area doors, and automatically locking doors. The HookLock Security pack embraces a front door wiring loom guard, deadlocks on the driver and passenger doors, and hook locks on the side and rear doors. The ArmourShell Security pack offers the same benefits as the HookLock option but with the added visual deterrent of external semi- automatic locks on the side and rear doors. They have anti-drill inserts and a hardened steel locking bolt. So will fitting extra security systems and taking additional precautions result in a cut in insurance costs? “Many insurers do indeed offer premium discounts for fitting additional security items,” says Clark. “However a lot depends on the company and the scenario it is faced with, because they’re all different; and if the fitting of a security device is a policy requirement, then a discount may not be applicable.”
20 WhatVan? May 2024
www.whatvan.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
