Best driveway alarms and sensors

Driveway sensors use similar technology that of other motion sensors.

• An infrared beam senses movement with heat and is more common in trail cams and outdoor sensors. Sometimes this is called a passive infrared or PIR sensor.
• A magnetic probe only senses metal, making it less prone to false alarms triggered by pets or kids playing in the driveway. However, a magnetic probe motion detector is expensive.
• A rubber hose sensor looks like those at a professional garage or drive-thru. When a car or heavy vehicle drives over the hose, the sensor triggers.
• Photo beam sensors use light. When an object blocks the sensors, you’ll get an alert from the sensor.

Yes, it depends on the sensor type, but driveway sensors can pick up activities from people or animals. If you’re concerned about home invaders, package thieves, or other threats, installing a security camera in tandem with your driveway sensor.

It depends on your driveway. If your home borders a busy road, it’s best to move the sensor closer to your home to avoid false alarms from traffic. Sensors for longer driveways may be best halfway between your home and the beginning of your driveway.

Quick example

If you live in a rural area, you may have a driveway that looks more like a road than a private path. Putting a driveway sensor right at the front would result in too many alarms; after all, people often get lost and use driveways to turn around.

But if you put a driveway sensor about halfway down your drive, you’ll know when someone is coming to your home.

Driveway sensors do little more than let you know someone is approaching your home. However, this serves as the first line of defence in your home security system.