July 5, 2018 | Washington, DC
Washington, D.C. – July is Vehicle Theft Prevention Month, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging drivers to protect their property from being stolen. A motor vehicle is stolen every 41 seconds in the United States, and more than 750,000 drivers fall victim to vehicle theft each year.
“Vehicle theft is a crime that hurts consumers and the economy,” said Heidi King, NHTSA Deputy Administrator. “Lock your doors and never leave valuables inside, especially if they can be seen from outside the vehicle.”
Thieves target vehicles; car parts such as radios and engines; and personal valuables inside the vehicle including cell phones, laptops, wallets and purses.

For more information on motor vehicle theft prevention, visit www.nhtsa.gov/theft or the FBI’s Motor Vehicle Theft website.
Stay connected with NHTSA: Search for open recalls with VIN look up | Download the mobile app for Apple or Android devices | Receive recall alerts by e-mail | Visit us on Facebook.com/NHTSA and Instagram.com/NHTSAgov | Follow us on Twitter.com/NHTSAgov | Watch 5-Star Safety Ratings crash tests on YouTube.com/USDOTNHTSA.
More in Other
NHTSA Announces Traffic Fatalities Decreased in the First Quarter of 2025
Estimated crash fatalities down 6.3% in first three months of the year
July 10, 2025Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces Key Step Toward Making Cars Affordable in America Again
CAFE interpretive rule clarifies NHTSA’s authority to reset illegal regulation
June 06, 2025U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Streamlines Exemption Process for Noncompliant Automated Vehicles
Noncompliant AVs will no longer be stuck waiting for years for approval to operate on U.S. roads
June 13, 2025