WASHINGTON – With summer in full swing, frequent car travel can also mean that it’s  prime time for car thefts. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a public service campaign aimed to prevent such thefts.

They advise that drivers shouldn’t give thieves any incentive, or easy ways, to steal their car, which means:

• Don’t leave the keys in the car.
• Don’t leave the windows open.
• Don’t leave valuables out, especially not in plain sight.
• Park in well-lit areas.
• Consider taking the extra step of installing an anti-theft device in the car.

The NHTSA says those are some simple measures people can take to make their car less likely to be targeted.

Nearly half of stolen cars are never recovered, with the cost of all those stolen vehicles adding up to more than $4 billion.

All cars can be targeted, but the NHTSA says the Honda Accord, the Honda Civic and the Toyota Camry are the three cars most likely to be stolen.

WTOP’s Jenny Glick contributed to this report.