How to keep your personal info safe in your car

SALT LAKE CITY— Concern has grown among some Utahans over how to keep their personal information safe in their car, while on vacation.

This comes after a Lehi family had their car broken into, their registration stolen, and their home ransacked.

But, there are quite a few things people can do to keep their personal information safe.

“You don’t want people knowing where you live just by information on your car,” said Jason Gardner with the Utah State Tax Commission, the organization that oversees the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Tips to keep personal info safe if stored in your car

People don’t need a physical copy of their vehicle’s registration in their cars, under a law that went into effect in 2018.

“Law enforcement has access to our DMV records … they know whose cars are registered and not registered just by simply looking at the license plate,” Gardner explained.

Drivers are still encouraged to keep registration cards in their cars. This is for the convenience of law enforcement, as outlined in legislation passed in 2022. But a picture on a cell phone is also acceptable.

But, if you still want to keep physical copies of your registration and insurance in your car, consider the following:

• keep anything with personal information, even if it’s just mail with your address, locked and out of sight,
• if your insurance card has your address, reach out to your provider to see if they can make a card without it,
• keep garage door openers locked away, and
• if you have other valuables in your car, consider locking them in the trunk so they are out of sight.

Related:

• Family’s car broken into at SLC airport, thieves use garage door opener to break into home
• Cities go after Hyundai, Kia after social-media-fueled theft

Follow @AdamSmallKSL