Having security gates installed at the end of your driveway can make you and your family feel secure, but adding a variety of additional features in and around the gates can further boost their efficacy. When you're exploring the addition of security gates, it's ideal to work with a company that can not only offer you a wide range of designs and install the gates for you but also provide you with upgrades and added features that many homeowners find desirable. Here are some extra features that you'll likely want to consider before you get the gates installed.

Motion-Activated Lighting

Motion-activated lights placed on the gate's pillars and any other adjacent areas that you desire will make you and your family feel more secure. While the presence of the gate should be a deterrent in itself to criminals, lights will make the gate even more secure. If someone was to approach the darkened gate at night, for example — perhaps to look through and attempt to identify if your home is presently occupied — the motion sensor would detect the person's movement, and the lights would turn on. This should ideally be enough to send the person scampering away from your property.

Security Cameras

One or more security cameras will further improve the efficacy of your home's new security gates. This is especially advantageous if you have a long driveway. Whereas a resident of a short driveway may be able to see who is at the gate from the safety of his or her home, this won't be possible if your driveway is long or bendy or there are trees or bushes in the line of sight. In this case, you can simply consult a security monitor in your home and assess the activity at the gate. It's especially ideal to get a security camera that is capable of nighttime footage.

Communication Device

Not everyone who approaches your gate will have dubious intentions. For the times at which someone who isn't a criminal is at your gate, you'll want to communicate — but perhaps still keep your distance. In this case, a communication device — typically a button-activated microphone and a speaker connected to a mic and speaker inside the home — will be ideal. You can ask the person to identify himself or herself, and perhaps even stand in front of the camera and show identification. If the person appears credible to you, you can then decide to open your security gate.