Why you should always leave the glove compartment open when you park your car

This trick of leaving the glove compartment open when parking your car is worth knowing.

In a car, the glove compartment serves the same purpose for everyone. This flip-top compartment, located in front of the front passenger, offers a small storage space. It can store certain essential documents (registration document, insurance, statement of claim, vehicle manual, etc.) and a whole host of small items that you want to keep close at hand. Sunglasses, wallet, smartphone chargers, pens, tissues, hydroalcoholic gel, etc. Some car models even have a refrigerated function to keep drinks cool.

What people are less aware of is that it's strongly recommended to open your vehicle's glove compartment when parking. Could this small compartment nestled in the dashboard be packed with electronic sensors to help you park perfectly? Many would like to, but no, the glove compartment is not intended to assist the driver. However, leaving it open before parking your car, whether along a sidewalk or in a parking lot, is an ingenious idea that can save you a lot of trouble.

A vehicle's glove compartment has always piqued the curiosity of thieves. Many petty criminals who prowl around cars aren't looking to drive off with it, but rather to steal what's inside. When a car breaks into a vehicle, the first thing criminals do is open the glove compartment. Police advise never leaving valuables in this storage space. But the thief about to break your car window won't know this as long as the glove compartment remains closed.

Hence the benefit of leaving it open! Of course, taking care to empty it of anything that might attract the attention of criminals, your glove compartment will no longer be the object of all fantasies. If the thief sees that your compartment contains nothing tempting – or even better, that it is completely empty – he will understand that he has no interest in burglarizing your car and will move on to find his loot elsewhere.