Remember when you were a teenager and you had your very first car? What an exciting time! There's just something about owning your own car that gives you an incredible sense of freedom. For many teens and young adults, a car may be the first large thing that they own or work toward owning themselves, and when they finally have their own keys to their first set of wheels, they can't wait to make that car their own.

Putting a personal stamp on one's vehicle is their prerogative, and there are a lot of ways to personalize a car these days. Gone are the days of plastering bumpers with bumper stickers that can't come off without ruining the paint. With things like personalized window clings, decals, and other personalized car products readily available, there are many options for giving your car its own unique look, but are there hidden dangers to decorating your car?

For Families

You know you've seen them... those adorable and sometimes even annoying family decals of stick figures, depicting an entire family. You can often find them stamped on the back window of SUVs and Mini Vans. The figures show the different ages of the family members, all in a row. As cute as a decal like this may be, it also tells the world that you might be traveling with small children, making your vehicle more of a target for crime-related incidents. My husband and I choose not to advertise our 'family' like this on our car. I often run errands or grocery shop- just myself and the kids, and I'm no stranger to the fact that some people do prey on distracted moms.

Hand On the Car Safety Spot

Many parents go by the rule where they ask their young children to put a hand on the car and wait while they remove a younger sibling from a car seat, etc. I have even done this with my own son, so I know where he is at all times. There are safety decals available that cling to the car and give kids a target to place their hand on. While I appreciate the idea, once again, it advertises that you have kids with you- making you an easy target for predators. In my opinion, it's best to just bring your kids around to the other side of the car with you if you have to remove a toddler, etc- that way, your child is with you at all times.

For Teens and College Students

It can be really cool to let the world know that you play a sport, what school you go to, or that you're in a frat or sorority, but there are unfortunately some terrible people in the world who look for these things in order to stalk out victims. Leaving off a decal on your car might just save your life.

For Business Owners

It's not uncommon to see phone numbers and business information plastered across the back window of a car via a custom decal these days. It's cool to advertise your business this way, but also gives people another way to reach you. It's easier than you might think for someone to use your phone number to do a quick search and find out even more personal information about you- including your home address. You may want to think twice about what types of information you display on your car. Perhaps including a website or business phone number only is the better way to go to ensure your personal safety.

Decals can be cute and fun, but is decorating your car worth the risk of compromising your safety?

Brought to you by Alfa Romeo USA of Patchogue.