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A few simple habits can turn basic parking lot safety into second nature. Whether you’re running into the grocery store for five minutes or parking your car ahead of a long weekend away, taking a few minutes to run through this checklist will help keep your vehicle — and belongings — safe.

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1. Stow your valuables before you arrive

Parking lot safety starts with keeping your valuables with you. Whenever possible, bring bags, laptops, electronics and other valuable items on your person rather than leaving them in your vehicle. Even items hidden in the trunk can attract unwanted attention if someone sees you storing them there. Take your valuables with you when you park, and leave your vehicle free of anything that could tempt a break-in.

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2. Double-check the doors

It might feel natural to hit the lock button as you walk away, but did you know that key fobs can miss a signal or even fail if the fob battery is low? If your vehicle has a conventional door handle, give it a quick tug after locking up to confirm the doors are secured.

If your vehicle has a proximity-sensing handle that unlocks when it detects your key fob nearby, avoid pulling on the handle, as this may unlock the vehicle again. Instead, confirm the doors are locked using your vehicle’s app, visually check that the door handles are in the locked position, or look for another cue, such as automatically folding mirrors or a lock indicator, that confirms your vehicle is secure.

3. Block your key fob signal

Thieves can hijack the radio frequency technology through key-fob cloning, using a small relay device to intercept and duplicate your fob’s signal from over 150 metres away with custom antennas. This can unlock your doors without the thief ever needing your key. Place your fob into any RFID-blocking pouch, backpack or purse when you step away. These pouches are inexpensive, block the signal entirely and make your key unreadable to tech-savvy thieves.

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4. Pick a high-visibility spot

Cars parked in plain view under bright lights can deter would-be thieves and make your walk back to the car after dark much safer. If you have a choice, skip the empty corners and pick a spot near a main entrance with good lighting and plenty of foot traffic.

5. Handling the unexpected

Occasionally, someone may approach you in a parking lot asking for change, directions or a jump start. While some of these asks could be legitimate, they could also be distraction tactics. You don’t owe a stranger your attention. A quick, “Sorry, can’t help,” is a complete response while you keep moving to your car or back towards the establishment you came from. If you still don’t feel safe, head somewhere with more people around and don’t engage further. Trust the read you get in the first few seconds — it’s usually right.

A few small adjustments make a world of difference when it comes to reducing your risk.

Protect your vehicle. Click here to discover more tips on preventing car theft, keeping your vehicle secure and knowing what to do if it’s targeted.