Car panic alarms could be an effective tool to scare off intruders

Posted: 5:43 a.m. February 18, 2010
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I was recently asked to comment on the use of panic buttons on car key fobs as inexpensive burglar alarms. The idea has a lot of merit.

This technique involves taking your car keys out of your pocket or purse and putting them on your nightstand or headboard when you go to bed. If you're awakened by an intruder or perceived intruder, you merely grab your car keys and hit the panic button.

This would cause your car in the garage, driveway or street to start sounding its horn. The noise of the horn and the fact that the intruder would then know someone is awake in the home would scare away most intruders. Secondarily, the noise of the horn would attract attention from neighbors.



The key components of this panic button alarm system are your neighbors. If you're going to use this technique, you should contact your neighbors and ask them to call the police if they ever hear your car alarm sounding. Tell your neighbors how you're using the panic button to make noise to thwart an intruder, draw attention and summon help.

If you have no neighbors nearby, you'll be dependent on the car’s horn alone scaring the intruder. In that case, you'd be better off investing in an alarm system, dog or a firearm for home defense.

If you decide to use the car key panic button method, trial runs of very short duration should be attempted. Make sure the radio wave will reach your car from your bedroom. Make sure you can operate the panic alarm in low light or no light conditions. This includes being able to turn the alarm off, should it activate unintentionally.

Furthermore, in an actual emergency, you should call 911 as soon as you trip the panic button to get the police moving toward your home as soon as possible.

Calling 911 is another motor skill that should be practiced, especially if you are using a cell phone with small buttons. To practice, remove your phone battery or disconnect the phone at the phone jack and practice dialing 9-1-1-SEND , 9-1-1-TALK or just 9-1-1, depending on your phone.

Practice so you can do it in the dark and without eyeglasses. It is important to practice because when you are under intense stress, fine motor skills become impaired.

If you are a neighbor and hear a car alarm sounding and it isn't stopping, call the police. Officers will respond to the car alarm, ascertain the source, run a registration check on the plate or just knock on the door if the vehicle is in a driveway or garage.

Either way, police will try to make contact with the vehicle owner to make sure all is well and get the horn shut off.

Therefore, a car key fob panic button alarm could be an effective tool to ward off intruders and call for help.

Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware (that the horn that woke you might mean someone needs help) and watch out for your neighbors.

Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.