1. ALWAYS LOCK YOUR DOORS
One of the easiest everyday safety precautions to take is locking your doors. This includes your car (especially while driving). Good rule, if it has a lock keep it locked!
2. USE YOUR PEEPHOLE
When someone knocks on your door, before you answer you should take a look through the peephole.
If you don't see anyone, DO NOT open the door.
3. DON’T PICK UP HITCHHIKERS
This goes without saying, but women driving alone are bright red targets for hitchhikers. Yes, even men are vulnerable to attacks here. There’s always the chance that it’s just an unfortunate soul who needs a ride, but why risk it?
4. NEVER STOP TO “HELP” CHILDREN
I know, this tip sounds cruel. But recently, criminals have been employing a new and dirty trick. In secluded areas of the highway or back country roads, they are leaving covered car seats alongside the road. When someone, usually a woman, stops to help the baby, the woman is either abducted or her car stolen. If you notice a small child or a car seat along the roadside, call 911 and do not stop! If you feel you can safely stay in your locked car at a safe distance to ensure police arrive; okay but don't take chances.
5. Take a survival course
Or at the very least get/download a few survival guides and study them. Even if you always stay in the city the advice in them and lessons they teach may come in use, and probably will when you least expect it to.
6. HAVE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES ON HAND
It’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit on hand. Leave one in your car and one in your house. Ideally, these kits should contain items suited to personal needs and local weather tendencies.
A few good basics are water, non-perishable food items, a first aid kit, cell phone charger, a blanket, an extra jacket and pair of shoes, candles, matches, flashlight and batteries, money, and copies of documents you might need in the event that your personal belongings were all lost.
7. AVOID DARK PARKING LOTS
This might be hard tip to avoid, depending on where you live or work, but lots of people are attacked or abducted from dark parking lots. If you can’t get around walking through a dark parking lot, carry your car keys in your hand. Also, if dark parking lots are a unavoidable a personal alarm or stun flashlight would be a great idea. They are usually enough to scare a potential attacker away!
8. TAKE A SELF DEFENSE COURSE
Learning a few basic moves in self-defense could possibly save your life! Most cities should have a place or two that offer self-defense classes, and they shouldn’t be too costly. In the event you should need to use what you learned, the class will have paid for itself! But DO NOT be mistaken you can always be out matched or overpowered. Best idea is to run to a public place.
9. LEARN HOW TO HANDLE NATURAL DISASTERS
Try to gather basic information on what to do when presented with natural disasters, a medical crisis, or even bomb threats. If nothing else, at least learn which natural disasters are likely to occur in your area, and what you should do in the event of one happening. Find out where to go, whom to contact, which items to grab, and how to stay safe until help arrives.Also learn CPR, you might be able to save a life.
10. DON’T PANIC
Whatever you do, when faced with any kind of danger, emergency, or scary situation, don’t panic.
Stay calm and try to use common sense. The situation will more than likely get worse if you freak out. If you must freak out, freak out on the inside, but remain calm on the outside and do what needs to be done.
2022
