Motorists warned to protect against ‘frosting' crime

With temperatures in many parts of the UK consistently below freezing this week, Sainsbury's Car Insurance is warning motorists to be on their guard against ‘frosting' car crime, where opportunist thieves take advantage of drivers who leave their cars unattended whilst warming up the engine. The bank's research suggests that up to 15,000 households could fall victim to ‘frosting' this year.

With modern vehicles offering improved security measures, car thieves are having to be increasingly opportunistic. Motorists now face increased risk if they leave their keys in the ignition and their vehicle unattended whilst they de-ice their vehicle.

Joanne Mallon, Sainsbury's Car Insurance Manager, said: "It may seem an unlikely crime but our research suggests that thousands of households are falling victim to ‘frosting' every year. With sustained periods of low temperatures and the likelihood of having to defrost the car a couple of times a day, on the way to and from work, there is even more opportunity for the would-be car thief.

"Motorists need to be aware of the risks of leaving their vehicles running whilst unattended. They should also be aware that if their car was stolen with the keys in the ignition they would most likely not be covered by their insurance policy."

The cold weather can also bring with it hazardous driving conditions and Sainsbury's Car Insurance offers the following cold weather motoring tips:

Make sure your car has a winter service
Check your battery
Monitor your oil, water and brake fluid levels on a regular basis
Check front and rear wiper blades for wear or splitting
Check tyre condition for both pressure and legal tread depth - the current minimum legal tread depth for cars is 1.6mm
Make sure you have antifreeze
Make sure you de-ice all of your windows before driving
Ensure your lights are clean so that you can see and also be seen
Use your headlights in rain or snow
Don't drive too close to the vehicle in front of you - remember to allow more time and distance to brake and also to accelerate
Where possible use major routes, which may have been gritted/salted
Take a mobile phone if you have one - remember to ensure the battery is fully charged but don't use it whilst driving unless you have a hands-free kit