DRIVERS are more blase when it comes to making sure their CashCards are kept safe while non-drivers guard their ez-link cards more carefully.

Also, non-drivers tend to keep the value low in the ez-link card for fear of losing it.

Drivers, in contrast, are known to put as much as $200 in their CashCard, with most saying they do not want the hassle of topping it up frequently.

However, a straw poll conducted last week revealed a most worrying trend: Half of the 20 drivers my paper spoke to do not bother with taking special precautions to safeguard their CashCards.

This is despite reports on the rise in thefts of CashCards from vehicles - 640 last year, up from 548 cases in 2006.

The most recent case was on Feb 8 when 22 car owners found their windscreens smashed and CashCards stolen.

A 30-year-old had been arrested by the police. He was also suspected to be involved in 20 more similar break-ins.

Still, many complacent drivers believe the chances of their cars being broken into and CashCards stolen are low.

Retail director Irwin Lim, 29, said: "I'm fortunate enough to live in a condominium, and we have security there."

Auditor Gary Teo, 35, who owns two CashCards and puts $200 in each, said: "If it (theft) happens, then it happens."

Alarmingly, the only precaution most drivers take is to cover the CashCard, which is still left in the In-Vehicle Unit (IU).

Unfortunately, that is not safe enough, say experts.

Ms Pansy Ong, a spokesman for the Automobile Association (AA) of Singapore, said: "Although the IU cover helps to conceal the CashCard, it is not a protective device.

"We would like to urge all motorists to exercise caution, and remove their CashCard from the IU before leaving their vehicle."

Only four drivers say they take this extra step. Bank trainer John Chee, 36, removes his CashCard and places it inside the glove compartment. "I always play it safe," he said.

The poll also revealed that 15 out of 20 CashCard users - or 75 per cent - put between $20 and $50 in their CashCards.

In comparison, 10 out of 20 ez-link users - or only 50 per cent - put an average of $20 in their ez-link cards.

Three CashCard users put $100 and more into their cards, whereas only one ez-link card user puts $100 - the maximum amount allowed - in her card.