Leaving valuables inside a car can be risky for travelers and locals. A safety expert provides tips to help prevent a motor vehicle from becoming a target.

An obvious first step is to stow valuables out of sight before parking, so thieves are not attracted to the vehicle, says Travelers insurance company safety specialist Chris Hayes.

Parking a car in a safe, visible location is also wise, because thieves will act in broad daylight if they can find cover, he says. Look to park in well-lit areas and open, unblocked spaces.

If you’re making a brief stop, lock your car and take your keys or key fob with you, Hayes says. Thieves tend to frequent convenience store parking lots and gas stations, where people may leave their cars running and keys in the ignition.

The riskiest places in the country, a new study by a law firm says, are the District of Columbia and Washington state.

Despite its small population, the District of Columbia ranks No. 1, because it leads the nation in vehicle-related thefts and has a very high overall crime index, according to the study by Bam Personal Injury Lawyers. The law firm, located in Utah and Idaho, ranked the District of Columbia and 50 states using data from the FBI, the auto insurance industry and the World Population Review. The focus was on three variables: theft from motor vehicles, crime index per 100,000 population and car theft.No. 2 Washington is the riskiest state to leave valuables in a vehicle, the study says. More cars were stolen there — 634 thefts per 100,000 people — than in any other state, and it has a high crime index.

Rounding out the 10 riskiest states to leave valuables in a motor vehicle are No. 3 Oregon, followed, consecutively, by New Mexico; Missouri and Texas (tied for fifth); Tennessee; Hawaii, and South Carolina and Oklahoma (tied for ninth).

“Leaving valuables in your car comes with significant risks, especially in areas with high crime rates and theft from motor vehicles,” says Kigan Martineau, a managing partner at Bam Personal Injury Lawyers. “Even places with smaller populations can experience a spike in vehicle-related crimes, where high crime indexes and theft rates make them particularly vulnerable. Whether in densely populated areas or more remote locations, vigilance is crucial in ensuring your vehicle and its contents remain secure.”