You went shopping and without realizing it, it got pretty dark outside. This can be a real problem for many people as darkness can descend very quickly in the winter time especially. But, do not be afraid to ask for help.

Most retailers have extra people on hand during these hours because of security reasons. This is why you can easily call on them to help escort you to your car. In many cases, this is no problem at all and they are more than willing to do so.

If you are driving along on your way home and someone pulls next to you to tell you to pull over because you have a flat tire, be cautious. This is a prime way to get you alone and vulnerable and it may not even be true!
What you need to do instead is to pull over only onto a busy street or a location where you can see other people. If you pull over on the side of the road, especially where there are few people, he can easily pull up behind you, pretending to want to help and attack you.

Stopping for gas is one of the most often times that people do this. They leave the car unlocked just because they will be gone for only “30 seconds!” The problem here is that anyone can get into the car as you have your back to it. You get back in the car, they put a knife to your throat and you are not in a very dangerous situation.

Instead, plan to be safe by keeping the doors always locked on your vehicle. In addition, never leave your car running while you pick up the mail, drop off your child or in any other situation. It is very likely that someone will get into the car and take off with it (even if there are children in the car!)

One of the most likely locations for someone to attack you is in your car. It does not have to be hard to get into a car and for that reason you should never assume that your car is so safe that someone can’t be lurking inside it.

As you walk to your car, pay attention. Notice what is happening around you, of course, but around your car as well. If you notice that something is wrong with your car or you notice someone around the car itself, walk back into the store, ask for security help or call the police. Do not approach your car alone.

On today’s newer cars, this is not a problem. There are several things you want to do here to protect yourself. First, be sure that when you get into a car, you get in quickly and shut the door behind you. Second, be sure that when you get in, you lock the doors to the entire car. This means that fewer people are able to get in.

When you are getting into the car, only open the driver’s side door, instead of unlocking all car doors. You do not want anyone to get into the car with you through another door.

As you leave the location you are at, you want to walk out of the door with your keys in hand and ready to go. First off, if you wait until you have gotten to the door of your car to shuffle around in your purse to find your keys, you have given the potential attacker the ability and time to come up from behind you to attack and you have no idea he is there.

For this reason, stop inside the door, wait until you have your keys in hand and then leave the building.

No matter what time of the day or night it is, it is very important to be aware of your surroundings when you are getting out of your car.

When you are getting into or out of your car, pay attention to the surroundings. What numbers of other people are around you? Can you be protected by enough light and crowds?

Even in areas where you think that there are a lot of people, for example a shopping parking lot, you are likely not to be in all that safe of a situation. Each year, many women are taken right out of a shopping mall parking lot, even though there are cars and cars around them.

When you are riding subways, trains or other such situations where you can get into various types of sitting areas, always look for the location that offers other people like yourself.

For example, if you are boarding a subway car after work, get in the compartment with others that seem to be doing the same thing. You do not want to be the only person in a car with just a few men or even just one man.

If you are on a bus, always sit as near as you can to the exit or by the driver. Sitting behind the driver is an ideal place if you have easy access to getting out of the bus.

It can be a problem if the bus driver can not see you or if there is a lot of room between you and the bus exit. In this case, sit next to the exit door just opposite the bus driver. This way, in an emergency, you have the quickest route out of the bus and it is much more likely that the bus driver will hear you call for help should someone approach you.

When you are getting onto the bus, stop and look for an aisle seat. This will allow you several key benefits. First, you can easily get out of the way if someone that you would rather not be near approaches you.

You can also be in a better position to protect yourself if the attacker decides to sit near you. If you are on the window seat, you are likely to be blocked in. He can easily sit down near you, do what he wants and you have virtually no way of moving to get out of the way.