MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM — (Marketwire) — 04/01/12 — Swinton Vans, a leading broker of , is today warning drivers against the pitfalls of parking up whilst they make a delivery.
Regardless of the length of time that their van is left unattended, drivers are still finding themselves becoming the victims of crime. People who leave engines running and their vans unlocked whilst they-re out of their vehicle often fall prey to opportunistic thieves and what some of them don-t realise is that they-re also invalidating their insurance policy at the same time. Swinton Vans estimates that 30,000 vans are stolen each year because of van drivers leaving the vehicle running.
Another common mistake is to leave valuables on show. Phones, satnavs and tablets are likely to be stolen if they are put down and left where passers-by can see them whilst deliveries are made. The fact that these are often essential for business means it-s vital that these items are either hidden or taken out of the vehicle with the owner.
Though delivery drivers are often the victims of crime, there are occasions when they fall on the other side of the law. Parking on double yellow lines or otherwise restricted zones is commonplace for nearly all motorists that are dropping an item off and, although the owner of the vehicle is bound to know that it-s illegal, many do not expect to be caught. With delivery drivers often wishing to park as close to the drop-off point as possible, especially when dealing with a heavy or large item, it-s essential to check that they aren-t breaking any laws as doing so can result in hefty fines.
Phil Moss, Commercial Vehicle Manager at Swinton said, “No matter how little time people think they-ll be away from their vehicle, it-s always important that they turn off the engine and lock it fully. It-s equally as important that all valuables are locked out of sight and that no parking restrictions are violated when the van is left unoccupied.”
About Swinton:
Contacts:
SKV Communications
Mairead Rodden or Lucy Gordon
0161 838 7770