By Rachel Hoeing

There has been a lot of controversy and hype lately over family car decals. Why? Some people think they are obnoxious or annoying. Others love them. Others think they are a danger to families. This article summarizes why some members of law enforcement feel these can give criminals too much insight into your lives.

Personally, I think there are different levels of Family Car Decal Obsession. Most of the time, we all know that if you own a minivan or even an SUV, chances are that the back is full of kids and pets, but should we be cautious as to how much more info we give out?

Level one: something like the photo above. Simple, cute, and not too much information given out.

Level two: (below) Simple stick figures again, but these give a little more insight into the family. A criminal would now know that you have three children and that they are involved with tennis and soccer. Accompany this with a car magnet that gives the name of where they may take tennis and/or soccer, and it gives a criminal even more info as to where your kids may spend time.

Level three: (below) Family with names. In my opinion, this is where you can begin giving out too much information. This is an easy way for someone to walk up to your child when you drop them off somewhere and call them by name. Once again, accompany this with a magnet stating your school and now they know exactly where to find your child.

Level Four: (below) Last name AND first names!  I have seen this so many times and it honestly concerns me. It is adorable, but I don’t know if the owner has thought through the amount of personal information being shared. This is enough info in itself to attract a criminal, but again they can easily find out more info by using other stickers and/or magnets on the car.

As with anything, if there is a person who wants to know more about you, your family, and your kids, we all know there are multiple ways they can obtain information. Most of the time, they can find out just about anything. BUT, my thought is … why make it easier for them?

What are your thoughts, readers? Have you ever considered these family decals dangerous? Or are authorities over-reacting? If you currently have the decals will you keep them on? Chime in and let’s help each other to take precautions!