It’s easy to leave the car running and leave your GPS in the passenger seat while you grab the mail or run into a store. But these habits increase your chances of falling victim to auto theft.  And it’s important to know that auto theft prevention is about more than simply locking your car doors. Here are a few tips for keeping your car and the belongings inside it secure:

1. Park in a garage: If your garage is full of junk and tools, clean it out. Parking your car in the garage makes it that much harder for thieves to break into it. This will also put your vehicle under the protection of your home alarm system. If you don’t have a garage, park your car as far into the driveway as possible. Keeping the driveway well lit at night is helpful, too.
2. Hide valuables: Never leave personal items or valuables like driver’s licenses, bills, jewelry or mp3 players in your vehicle. Also hide any CDs or cords to electronics that hint your pricey items may be in the car.
3. Get a security system: Vehicle security is almost as important as home security. Many vehicles already come with security systems. Learn how yours works and how to arm it. If you don’t have a car alarm, explore options like windows and glass-break sensors.

Babysitting can be stressful – for both the babysitter and the parents trusting him or her. A few safety precautions can be a good back up to the home alarm system that already helps protect your home and family.

Share these safety tips with your babysitter to help put your mind at ease:

• Get acquainted with the home: Know the address and contact information, and how to lock all the doors and windows. Learn the locations of First-Aid supplies, fire exits, fire extinguishers, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Also be aware of the security system. Identify a neighbor who will be available for help in case of an emergency.

• Be on the alert: Keep a pencil and paper by the phone. If you see or hear anything suspicious near the home, stay in the locked house, call the police and turn on outdoor lights.

• Don’t give yourself away: Never open the door to strangers or tell callers you are babysitting. Instead, tell them you are visiting the home and will deliver messages to the owners. However, be sure your parents or someone else knows where you are and how long you will be there.

Keeping up your home’s aesthetics and functionality is important. However, finding a safe, reliable contractor to help you do this is just as vital when your family and home’s security could potentially be put at risk. So keep these precautions in mind when searching for and hiring a contractor:

1. Decide what you want: Determine what should be done before you contact contractors, so you don’t get talked into work that you didn’t consider before.
2. Get recommendations: Ask friends, family members and acquaintances for recommendations. Hardware stores and consumer-rating websites like Angie’s List are also good sources to check out. If any red flags come up, eliminate those contractors from your list. Compromising your home security isn’t worth saving a few bucks.
3. Compare candidates: Check to see if contractors have experience in and are licensed to do the desired work. Also get estimates for what you want done.
4. Get it in writing: Get a copy of everything you sign, and make sure it has all your stipulations and you understand it.
5. Pay when the work is complete: Make sure all work is complete before you pay your final bill.

As summer vacation approaches, children will have more time to wander around the house and get into trouble. Keep in mind that home safety doesn’t stop at alarm systems, or the main interior of your home.

Take the time now to organize your garage and tool shed with these tips so that little hands won’t have access to hazardous objects and substances:

• Use kid-proofing instruments: Treat the garage as any other part of the house you’ve already kid-proofed with outlet covers, drawer and door latches and other safety devices.

• Be careful with garage doors: Keep all garage door remotes out of reach, and look for models with counter-balance systems and automatic ones with features that stop or reverse doors when they come in contact with an object.

• Secure large equipment: Store ladders horizontally so children can’t climb on them, and keep sharp, large objects like rakes and shovels in a locked cabinet or secured on a wall in a low-traffic area.

• Hide harmful substances: Store and lock up all harmful substances so they are out of your child’s reach. If a child swallows a potentially poisonous substance, call the National Capital Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 and have the product’s packaging in hand.

While you worry about home security, and staying air-conditioned and hydrated during the hot summer months, your pet may be suffering the effects of warm weather. According to the ASPCA, pets can also suffer from heat stroke, sunburn and dehydration if exposed to summer heat.

Keep your furry friends safe and cool with these safety tips.

• Routine check-up: Schedule a routine spring or early summer appointment with your vet and ask him or her about flea and tick control programs.

• Just a trim: Give your dog a summer hair cut by shaving down to about one inch from the skin and brush your cat more often than usual to get rid of excess hair to prevent overheating.

• Hidden hazards: Keep any household chemicals or substances like pesticides, and flea and tick repellants locked up and away from pets so they won’t ingest them and get poisoned.

• Cool and content: Provide your pet with plenty of shade to stay out of the sun. Never leave a pet unattended in a vehicle in any weather. Vehicles can become extremely hot quickly and cause your pet to have a heat stroke.

• Safe hydration: Make sure pets have plenty of clean, fresh water. Never leave pets unattended around pools or let them drink pool water, which has chlorine and other chemicals that can make them sick. Introduce them to water gradually and make sure that they wear flotation devices at all times when they’re on boats.