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Halloween brings out the kid in all of us; it is a magical time of tricks and treats- as long as you don’t find yourself on the receiving end of a particularly harmful trick. On a night where late night pranks may actually cause a potentially devastating morning on November first, it is a fact that many tried and true forms of Halloween pranks and vandalism might target unsuspecting vehicles. With a few simple steps to take precaution, you may be able to prevent pranksters from targeting your vehicle this holiday- and save yourself some time, money, and aggravation.

1. Park in a well lit area- Before Halloween check all exterior lighting and motion sensors in advance. On the night of Halloween, take care to turn on outdoor lights and try to park your car, whether in the driveway, the street, or in the rear of the house, in an area that will set off lights if an intruder steps within range of motion detector. Try to avoid parking in the street if at all possible. Most vandals will not target a car that is highly visible to anyone passing by on the street or looking out a window of nearby houses. If you have to park on the street make sure that you park near a streetlight.

2. Lockdown- If you are not in the habit of locking your car, take special precautions on Halloween night. If your car is equipped with an alarm system, ensure that it is armed and ready. It’s also an excellent idea to make sure your windows are closed all the way to avoid additional ways in, or anything from getting inside of your vehicle. If you do not have a locking garage available, it is best to park in your driveway near the house.

3. Remove objects from truck bed or top racks- If you own a truck or other vehicle with an exposed bed, remove all objects from the rear cargo area. If you have toolboxes or locking covers for your truck bed, double check to make sure they are secure. Thieves and pranksters can simply, and easily take advantage of anything left in site.

4. Don’t decorate car to bring any undue attention to it- This is not the holiday to decorate a vehicle. Do not use window paint or decals to welcome Halloween visitors or leave "spooky" messages for trick-or-treaters. While you might make someone smile, you might also make a target of your car for vandals.

5. High traffic areas - Avoid parking in high traffic areas. If your neighborhood is one of the most popular for trick-or-treaters and you have the ability to park your car in the backyard, move the car out of the way of traffic. This will help prevent both accidents and drive-by vandalism. Remember, as with removing objects into a garage, the principle of "out of sight, out of mind" applies here as well.

6. Wax your car  - Waxing your vehicle can not only make it look good, it can also help protect your paint and trim form the damage caused by a number of pranks. Eggs, shaving cream, silly string, pumpkin guts as well as a number of other things can cause permanent damage to your car. A good waxing before the holiday will ensure that if anything does end up all over your vehicle, your paint will remain in tact.