Are electric gates a reliable way to protect your vehicle?

They’re a powerful deterrent

First off, just the sight of a set of automated gates is major deterrent in itself. This is particularly important because the vast majority of would-be intruders are opportunists. They don’t necessarily set out to take something, but when the opportunity arises, sometimes unscrupulous people just can’t help themselves. That is of course the scary part, but the flipside is that they’re always making risk-based calculations. The easier something is to take, the more likely it is to be taken. (Unlocked cars on the street outside, for example, are particularly vulnerable.)

But every additional layer of security obviously increases the risk involved, thereby making things progressively less tempting. This is where automated gates really come into their own, since just the sight of them is a very strong visual deterrent, and more than enough to discourage most opportunists.

Sure, they’re not necessarily impregnable – but they’re undeniably difficult to bypass, even when someone sets their mind to it. What’s more, they’re doubly difficult to bypass undetected (probably at night), and those are all the conditions that a would-be intruder has to overcome in order to even get past them. And then once they’re in, they’ve got to contend with additional security you may have in place on your property – including potentially lights, motion sensors, alarms et cetera. Even if they conquer all that…

Getting out is incredibly difficult

Bypassing gates on your own two feet is one thing. Trying to sneak out with something that weighs at least two tonnes (possibly more) is something else altogether. You can’t take a car over electric gates, and nor can you take them under – the only option is to go through them, and if they’re not already open, then that’s all she wrote, really.

If you’re worried about them being rammed, it’s worth pointing out that 1) that’s going to draw a lot of attention, which is exactly what intruders don’t want, and 2) that’s going to damage the car, which they also won’t want, and 3) there’s still no guarantee the gates will actually yield under that pressure, which means it may even take a couple of attempts. Most opportunists (let’s remember, they’re the vast majority) won’t be comfortable with subjecting themselves to that kind of risk.

In short, the visual deterrence (coupled with the practical advantages) do indeed make automated gates a reliable way to protect your car, especially if it’s hidden away in a garage, and protected by additional security measures. (And if you need any inspiration on which ones to choose, it’s worth checking out our post on the 4 best ways to improve your driveway security!)

For lots of people, all this can be reason alone to consider buying an electric gate kit for their ow premises – and if that’s something you’re weighing up yourself, you’re in exactly the right place. With over 30 years in supplying and fitting high-quality gate automation here at Gate Auto, we provide a wide range of electric gate kits and garage door openers alongside an array of accessories to ensure you get the most out of your investment. Feel free to browse them right here on our site, or give us a call on 01282 677300!