Security & Fraud

Compulsory immobilizers sure to decrease auto theft

by Frank Fourchalk

Sunday, July 9, 2006

After almost a decade of rising auto theft stats that peaked in 2003, car theft has dropped for the second year in a row.

Auto theft prevention initiatives like public education with a focus on the dangers of vehicle theft, enforcement by our dedicated police officers, treatment for drug related repeat offenders through longer jail sentences and of course preventive initiatives like the Bait Car program, Combat AutoTheft program, Citizens Crime Watch and ICBC initiatives just to mention a few are making a difference.

Due to these initiatives auto theft in British Columbia has dropped significantly with 8% decreases across the province and 11% in the Greater Vancouver area in 2005. What this means to the residents of B.C. is a 12.2 million dollar savings because of 3067 fewer vehicles stolen in our province. The first three months of 2006 are also showing reductions of 7% provincially and 10% in Greater Vancouver compared to the same period last year.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) recognizes that motor vehicle theft is a significant threat to public safety in Canada. With estimates of direct dollar losses of $1 billion annually, why has Transport Canada not changed the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard to require all new vehicles to have electronic immobilizers as standard equipment?

In early 2005, Transport Canada changed the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114 requiring vehicle manufacturers to install electronic immobilizers in the majority of new light vehicles sold in Canada by September, 2007.

That's great, but the federal government is leaving the vehicle manufacturer the choice of using either the Canadian Standard (ULCS338) or the weaker modified United Nations directive without requiring the manufacturer to even state which of the two technical requirements they are complying with. If your wondering whether your new vehicle has an IBC-approved immobilizer check out www.ibc.ca and click on "Immobilizers that meet the Canadian Theft Deterrent Standard.

Currently there are five IBC-approved after-market systems available for retrofit, the Autowatch 329 Ti Immobilizer, the Autowatch 573 PPi Immobilizer, the Mastergard M6000 Immobilizer, the Mastergard TK Immobilizer and the Powerlock Canada Immobilizer. If you're thinking of installing one of these immobilizers on your vehicle, make sure it is  installed in accordance with the Canadian standard related to installation effectiveness ULC/ORD-275.1. 

Personally I think the Province of British Columbia should initiate the implementation of compulsory Canadian Standard immobolizers for all vehicles, new and old. Stats show that the majority of vehicles stolen in British Columbia are between the years of 1988 and 1998, driving home the effectiveness of immobolizers.

According to ICBC, 57 vehicles are stolen, 86 vehicles are broken into and 73 vehicles are vandalized everyday in B.C. With stats like these, how can anybody argue the effectiveness of a provincial program which would cut costs to the health care system, law enforcement, vehicle insurance claims, insurance companies, law enforcement investigations, court processes, corrections' services and of course taxpayers.

Maybe one day motorists will receive a notation on their emissions report requesting an immobolizer on their vehicle by their next visit. I can tell you one thing, it would be the best $150.00 they could ever spend.

Please check out my new Web site at www.yourhomesecurity.ca or e-mail me at . Columns 2006 2005 2004