6 Best Driveway Alarms to Notify You of Unexpected Visitors
Those that live in a rural area or on a large property probably do so for the quiet and privacy this entails. Your kids can safely play outside by themselves and your dog has plenty of room to run around. Unfortunately, this can also create a unique type of security concern.
When your home sits at the end of a long driveway far away from the road, hearing voices outside or tires on gravel when you don’t expect them is a bit unsettling. While it could simply be someone who accidentally turned into the wrong driveway or a UPS driver, wouldn’t it be good to know exactly when someone crosses a specific point on your driveway?
A good driveway alert system is something every homeowner on a large property should have. As soon as someone or something passes by the outside sensor, it sends a wireless signal to the indoor receiver which notifies you with a sound.
You’ll never be caught off-guard by an unexpected visitor. The best driveway alarm will be reliable, easy to install, and have a long range.
Our 6 Favorite Driveway Alarms
Product | Transmission Range | Detection Range | Detects | Warranty | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Wuloo | 1,760 ft | 30 ft | Vehicles, People, Animals | 2-year |
![]() | Driveway Informer | 1,000 ft | 50 ft | Vehicles, People, Animals | 1-year |
![]() | Dakota Alert | 5,280 ft | 12 ft | Vehicles only | 1-year |
![]() | Mighty Mule | 400 ft | 12 ft | Vehicles only | 1-year |
![]() | HTZSAFE (Solar) | 2,640 ft | 70 ft | Vehicles, People, Animals | 2-year |
![]() | HTZSAFE (Battery) | 2,640 ft | 50 ft | Vehicles, People, Animals | 2-year |
Driveway Alarm Reviews
#1 – Wuloo WUL-19056-1T2-Brown-S Wireless Solar Driveway Alarm
You aren’t likely to find a more powerful system than this model from Wulong. A single receiver can be paired with up to eight sensors. Each weatherproof sensor has a ⅓ mile (or 1,760 feet) range and has been tested in real life settings to ensure full functionality.
Each sensor has a rechargeable battery that can last up to 24 months per full charge. Areas of high traffic will drain the battery faster, and the sensors leave the factory with a 20 percent charge, so be sure to top them up before use.
The receiver includes an AC cord but may also be powered via AA batteries. It has a clock and alarm built in, and the sounds are customizable. Once paired, it will chime any time a person, vehicle, or large animal passes by the sensor.
Sensitivity levels are easy to adjust for each sensor, which has an active range of 30 feet. The kit comes with the receiver and two sensors and is easy to set up.
One thing to keep in mind is that the solar batteries drain based on how often the sensor is triggered. Thus, there are some instances where a battery will hold its charge for one or two years, while in other cases the charge will drain in only a few months. Careful placement will help ensure minimal downtime for each sensor.
The monitor can run as long as 1.5 weeks when powered by batteries. You can also have more than one receiver so you can get alerts in more than one area of the house. Adjustable volume and the 36 different alert sounds with the ability to assign a different sound to each sensor makes it easy to identify alerts when away from the receiver.
Mounting can be a bit of a pain, as the included mount has only a 30 degree arc, and the mounting screw becomes hidden after mounting. Thus, tightening the screw after an angle adjustment may require remounting. Purchasing your own camera swivel mounts can help fix both of these issues.
The ability to adjust sensitivity paired with its customizability and the option to have multiple receivers and sensors makes this kit one of the best currently on the market. Recent upgrades to the model fixed a few major complaints, while those issues that remain all have workarounds.
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#2 – Driveway Informer Wireless Driveway Alarm
Made in the USA, the Driveway Informer wireless security alert system has 50 ft detection range and up to 1,000 ft transmission range. Like previous Guardline models, it uses a PIR sensor to detect heat movement from cars, people, and animals.
What we really like about the Driveway Informer is the sensor build quality. The heavy duty ABS mold will hold up to the elements well and the green exterior allows it blend in with the surrounding landscape.
While having an external antenna makes it less sleek than others, it does seem to help with achieving the stated wireless range.
The receiver has a unique LCD counter on the front to allow you to track how many things the sensor detects over time. Great if you want to know if anybody’s been on your property while you were away from home.
There is a volume control on the back of the receiver but no options for different chimes.
This particular driveway motion sensor alarm might be a bit short on features but plain flat-out works. Most users seem to agree the maximum range is fairly accurate and the driveway senor detects things when it’s supposed to.
We do wish the receiver had a few more options as far as alert sounds were concerned. Also, replacing the 2 AA batteries on the sensor isn’t the most convenient as you have to take off the entire back of the housing but this is probably to help with weatherproofing.
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#3 – Dakota Alert DCPA-4000 Wireless Driveway Alarm System
We really enjoyed Dakota Alert’s DCPA-2500, so when we heard they updated it to the 4000 series, we had to check it out. Just like the previous model, the SCPA-4000 detects only vehicles using metal-only sensing. This cuts out false alarms from wildlife and other common triggers.
Installation remains easy. Simply bury the metal probe, install the transmitter nearby, and it will alert you when anything metal, from a lawnmower to a truck, passes within 10-12 feet of it (all around). And since all items from the 4000 series are cross-compatible, you can mix and match 4000 series sensors and receivers for even more versatility.
You can expand the kit easily, linking up to 16 sensors to a receiver and unlimited receivers per sensor. To make alerts from a specific sensor easier to distinguish, you can assign one of the 16 different tunes to each sensor.
One thing we loved about the previous model was its best-of-class range, but the DCPA-4000 doubles that to a whopping one mile transmission range! To top it off, the sensor is powered by CR-123 batteries, allowing the sensor to run continuously for a year or longer. However, it’s suggested that you replace the batteries annually to ensure there’s no unwanted breaks in service.
When installing the transmitters, pay attention to obstacles, as these can potentially reduce or interrupt the signal range. There’s also a rubber latch on the sensor that can be lost if you aren’t careful when burying.
One other interesting detail is that the plus model has a built-in relay, allowing you to pair it with other sensor devices. While not necessary, this added feature might be worth the slight upgrade for those who want Siri or Alexa to announce alerts.
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#4 – Mighty Mule FM231 Wireless Driveway Alert System
For a good economical option to detect vehicles on your property, the Mighty Mule driveway alarm fits the bill.
Utilizing a magnetic sensor, the same way as the Dakota Alert, it can detect vehicles or other large pieces of metal moving within 12 feet of the probe/wand.
The biggest difference is that the range the transmitter communicates with the indoor receiver is only up to 400 ft. For many homeowners and businesses, this is plenty of range and probably why it’s such a popular system. We like to think of the Mighty Mule as a good driveway doorbell.
There are some downsides. First off, the wire that goes from the probe to the transmitter is only about 6 feet (compared to 50 ft with the Dakota Alert). Fortunately, the transmitter comes attached to a short post which mounts directly into the ground (instead of on a tree).
In addition, the adjustable volume on the receiver just doesn’t go very high. You probably won’t be able to hear an alert throughout the house.
Finally, there seems to be a slight delay when the driveway sensor detects a car and when the alert on the receiver sounds. Not a big deal but slightly annoying.
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#5 – HTZSAFE Solar-Powered Wireless Driveway Alarm (HB-807A+2HB-T504)
One of the most common complaints we hear about driveway alarms is how obvious they can be. HTZSAFE kit solves that problem by disguising the weatherproof sensors in this kit as bird houses. Solar panels on the “roof” of the sensor are strong enough to charge the internal battery even on cloudy days. While the kit comes with two sensors, the receiver is capable of connecting with up to four sensors.
The receiver has a range of up to ½ mile and is portable. When not plugged in, an internal rechargeable battery provides three days or more of backup power. There are 35 tunes to choose from so you can assign a different tune to each sensor, and a total of five volume levels. When on the mute setting, an LED light can still let you know of an alert.
Motion detection range can be set for 25, 50, or 70 feet. Also, the sensors are capable of functioning within a wide range of conditions, including temperatures between -30 and 150 degrees. Add to that a simple plug-and-play installation method and you can see why this is a great option.
Overall, this kit has a nice design and great functionality, although the receiver’s base is large enough that it will hog any nearby outlets when plugged in. It’s also important to remember that ½ mile is the ideal range, and obstacles such as trees may reduce the range.
That said, there is one flaw to this model that could be a deal-breaker for some: There’s no way to adjust sensitivity. Thus, if you live in an area with a lot of wildlife, you might be getting alerts quite often.
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#6 – HTZSAFE Battery-Powered Wireless Driveway Alarm (808A+2T808)
Following on the heels of birdhouse sensors, this kit has sensors resembling owls. Under optimal conditions, the receiver has a range of up to ½ mile, although obstacles such as shrubs or trees may reduce this range. Choosing an exposed spot for the sensor isn’t an issue, as the weather resistant units will function properly in temperatures between -30 and 150 degrees.
Everything is designed for plug-and-play installation, and you can choose from 35 different tunes to give each sensor its own alert sound. Each receiver may be paired with up to 32 sensors, and each sensor may be paired with an unlimited number of receivers.
Once installed, the sensors can be set to a detection range of either 35 or 50 feet. Improved detection chips help reduce false alarms caused by small animals, but can still give false alarms for large animals.
Unfortunately, the sensors aren’t wireless and will require three AA batteries each. Also, keep in mind that these are weather resistant, not weatherproof, so particularly harsh rainstorms have been known to short out an exposed sensor unit. A little silicone caulk or electrical tape around the battery cover and seams helps remedy this issue, though.
Barring overly severe weather, the sensor units tend to last a couple years or longer, which is amazing for their low cost. Another bonus is the ball joint used to attach the sensors to their mount, allowing for a wide range of positions. There are no reports of this joint being loose (requiring occasional readjustment), but if this is the case, just add a little electrical tape or plastic wrap around the ball to make the connection tighter.
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Types of Driveway Sensors
All of the models listed above use one of the following types of sensors to detect something passing by.
Passive Infrared (PIR)
This is the most common type of driveway sensor. A passive infrared sensor detects objects that radiate heat energy, such as people, animals, or car engines.
When the heat pattern changes, a signal is transmitted to the indoor receiver to create the alert. This is a single wholly enclosed sensor. The Driveway Informer model uses a PIR sensor.
Active Infrared (AIR)
This sensor consists of two parts. The transmitter sends out a beam of infrared light and the receiver picks up the beam. When an object crosses the beam’s path and the beam is interrupted, it sends a signal to the indoor receiver which creates the alert.
The HTZSAFE model above uses an AIR sensor. See additional passive IR and active IR differences here.
Magnetic Probe
Simply put, a magnetic probe sensor detects a mass of metal. The sensor is usually enclosed in a short PVC pipe which is buried a few inches underground next to the driveway.
When a metal object (such as a car) crosses it vicinity, a signal is sent from the nearby transmitter to the indoor receiver.
This is the most reliable type of sensor when you simply want to know if a vehicle is on your driveway. False alarms from animals are nonexistent.
How to Install a Driveway Alarm
Here’s a good “how to” on installing our favorite driveway alarm: