GPS Tracking and Car Theft
As a vehicle owner you know how valuable your car is but so do the thieves. They are becoming more and more creative in their attempts to steal vehicles. According to research, there were over 1 million vehicles stolen in 2022, a 7% increase over 2021 and surpassing 1 million for the first time since 2008. The research goes on to mention that California and Texas had the most reported stolen automobiles, with Illinois experiencing the greatest rise, projected at 35% between 2021 and 2022.
Having a GPS tracking system in your vehicle can help you with theft issues. While GPS tracking is most commonly associated with vehicle tracking, it can also be used to assist in the location and recovery of a stolen asset. Because the device never leaves your vehicle, you’ll know exactly where it is once the thief drives it away. A GPS will also allow you to track your vehicle while it is being driven by someone else. That way, if they’re doing anything unlawful, like driving under the influence or speeding, you’ll be aware of it from the start!
Read on to learn more about vehicle GPS tracking and how they can help recover a stolen vehicle.
What Is Vehicle GPS Tracking?
GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System, is a system that consists of a network of satellites circling the Earth and gadgets that may assist in determining the position of an object or a person.
Vehicle GPS tracking necessitates the installation of a tracking device in a vehicle. The device then gives information about its precise position and subsequent motions, allowing for real-time tracking. Fleet managers can easily utilize GPS tracking devices to detect where a truck or asset is on its route, report on traffic conditions, and measure how long each vehicle spends in a job area.
How Does Vehicle GPS Tracking Work?
Car tracking devices transmit specific satellite signals, which are decoded by a receiver. These GPS receivers track the exact location of the GPS device present in the vehicle as well as the time and velocity at which it is going. Using four different types of GPS satellite signals, these coordinates may also be estimated and shown in three-dimensional perspectives. GPS systems are divided into three parts that include space, control, and user.
GPS Tracking to Recover Stolen Vehicles
GPS tracking systems can provide you with the position and speed of all of your fleet cars 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When your vehicles cross the bounds of your predefined geofences, GPS can notify you. GPS monitoring can tell you how many miles your vehicles have traveled if they have been kept on designated routes, where they have been parked, when they have been parked, how long they have been parked, and whether your operator is driving safely. GPS informatics can also provide information on fuel economy and maintenance concerns.
How Can GPS Tracking be Used to Recover Stolen Vehicles?
Listed below are some of how GPS tracking can help recover stolen vehicles:
Real-time alerts and early detection
Installing a GPS monitoring device in your vehicles gives you the information you need to enable you and local law enforcement to track the position of your trucks, vans, automobiles, or equipment. Most of these tracking systems also include an alarm or notice that is delivered to your telematics app or central monitoring system in the event of any illegal usage or movement outside of the geofence that you set up for your fleet.
You can quickly know if someone has moved your car without your permission by receiving an alert or early warning. You can then alert police enforcement so that its movement and whereabouts can be tracked. The sooner you notify the police, the more likely the crime will be caught in the act.
Recovery of assets
If one of your vehicles is stolen, you may use GPS monitoring to determine its exact location. This raises the chance of recovery while decreasing the difficulties. GPS tracking can also help you recover your car faster.
Since most fleets follow predetermined routes, if a vehicle deviates from specific geolocations, your tracking software can send a real-time alert. The fleet manager can then call the driver or law police to see whether there is an issue.
Provides valuable insights
In the case of a theft, you may go into the data and examine what happened, where it happened, and why it happened. You can then take precautionary measures to avoid it happening again. For example, if you notice frequent events at a specific place, you may find trends and adjust your route appropriately.
Dashcam video adds an extra element of security. After all, seeing is believing, and if your insurance company requires video proof of theft, your recorded film will provide the evidence they require to process the claim. Footage can also be utilized as a learning tool, assisting you in piecing together the circumstances before a theft.
Thieves get discouraged
Vehicle theft may have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line, especially if the vehicle in issue is not insured. Although advances in technology have helped reduce incidents, the overall downward trend has accelerated in recent years as drivers become more complacent and make avoidable mistakes, such as leaving their keys in the car.
Helps recover the cost of replacement
Most states have laws in place that allow car owners who have had their vehicles stolen to recover their expenses if they can locate and return their vehicles, even if those expenses exceed their insurance policy’s deductible.
This applies both during and after an accident, as well as when a stranger takes anything from inside your car while it’s parked outside unattended; both of these scenarios would be considered covered occurrences under the conditions of most insurance. Furthermore, some insurance companies may offer discounts for good driving habits, such as installing an anti-theft device on any vehicles insured under its policy—a potential benefit worth considering!
Conclusion
GPS tracking can help you in case your vehicle gets stolen. Always opt for active GPS tracking, which follows the car and transmits data to the hub in near real-time. This allows you and the police to rapidly find and retrieve your vehicle.
