Driveway Safety Measures – Why a Driveway Alarm is a Smart Investment

Supervision and separation are important, but physical measures can further reduce the likelihood of driveway accidents. Teach children to always play away from vehicles and physically separate their playing areas from the driveway.

Detection range is a crucial consideration when choosing a driveway alarm. The encased sensor in this model has a metal detector and only senses metal, eliminating false alarms caused by neighbors or rustling leaves.

1. Detection

A driveway alarm must be able to detect cars and people coming up the driveway without being set off by a neighbor, a stray cat or even a rustling leaf. Some systems have sensitivity settings that can be adjusted to minimize false alarms.

Choose a system that has a range of at least 500 to 1,000 feet between the sensor and receiver inside the house. This should accommodate most driveways. To avoid the plethora of low quality no name foreign brands that will likely have issues or lack of support, only buy from specialist stores like Absolute Automation instead of online sellers like Amazon which does not vet their products.

A good choice is the Guardline Wireless Driveway Alarm, which offers a high-quality set of sensors and a 12-volt relay to link the sensor to external alarms or sirens. This system is a good value at just under $100. It uses PIR technology that can distinguish between heat from cars and motion caused by people or animals. It has four distance settings so you can ignore people or animals that are closer than a certain threshold. It also has a unique speed sensitivity setting so passing wildlife traveling slower than 2 mph doesn’t trigger the detector.

2. Alerts

The main benefit of a driveway alarm is that it will alert you when someone approaches your home. This means that you will be able to keep people off of your property that isn’t meant to be there, and it can help prevent unwanted deliveries or burglars.

The most common type of driveway alert system uses a motion sensor that detects the movement of large objects and sends an alert to a receiver inside your home, often called a chime box. The system will then play a tone that is loud enough to be heard and can be adjusted according to your preferences.

Some driveway sensors are a must have in this digital era because they allow you to connect the receiver with a smart device so that you can get an alert on your phone or tablet when it is triggered. These systems typically require a longer transmission range than others and work best when you have a larger property to cover.

3. Safety

Driveway alarms help prevent accidents by alerting you when someone enters your property. This makes it more difficult for criminals to steal your cars, motorcycles, boats, or any other possessions you store outside your home.

While simple safety tweaks like extended mirrors can also improve visibility when backing out of your driveway, nothing can replace the peace of mind a driveway alarm provides. It can alert you to the presence of strangers approaching your property, giving you time to scare them away or call the police.

Traditional driveway alarms consist of a sensor installed on the outside and a receiver connected to power inside your house. There are several different types of sensors, ranging from PIR or infrared models that use heat patterns to detect motion, to magnetic probe alarms which register metal objects and are less prone to false detection. When choosing a driveway alarm, it’s important to consider the maximum coverage area and distance between the receiver and the sensor.

4. Peace of Mind

Whether you use a driveway alarm in conjunction with a larger home security system or on its own, having one will help keep you aware of anyone who enters your property that is not supposed to. Many of these devices can even connect to your phone to send you notifications.

The wireless range of a driveway sensor can vary depending on brand and physical obstructions like walls and trees, but most offer up to a half-mile detection radius. Some also have a sensitivity setting that allows you to reduce the number of false alarms from animals or large vehicles.

Driveway runovers are a serious issue, especially among children who can get out of the car quickly as adults say goodbye and turn away. With a driveway alert, you can prevent these tragedies with ease. You can also add extra safety measures, such as rearview mirrors and cameras to discourage children from playing in or near cars.

It’s important to feel safe and secure in your own home, and a driveway alarm system can help give you that peace of mind. These systems are designed to alert you when vehicles or people enter your driveway, providing an early warning system to potential intruders. Not only do they act as a deterrent, but they can also be helpful in other ways, such as letting you know when guests or deliveries have arrived. With so many different types of driveway alarm systems available, it can be overwhelming to figure out which one is right for you. But once you understand the benefits they offer, you’ll realize just how valuable they can be when it comes to protecting your home and family.