In the case of the jogger, you want to be sure to go different routes that are well lit and whenever possible, have houses on them of people that you know. These are called safe houses or locations where you are likely to get help if you need it. If you do not know anyone, then do plan to meet them or at least take note of homes where there are other women, children or families living where you are likely to be protected in situations.

Not following a routine can help you to be someone that is not an easy target which means you are more likely to remain safe throughout your jog or your trip. Do this with your car, too!

When it comes to vehicles, you are very much likely to be attacked if and when you are alone. Cars are very dangerous in all forms and it is up to you to protect yourself from these situations.

You wake up before dawn, get dressed and head out. As you are running you commit your first mistake. You have on a walkman or an MP3 player which means that you can not hear what is happening around you. This drops your level of alertness and capabilities of protecting yourself from dangerous situations.

Now, you are at risk in a number of ways. What you do not notice is the car that is shadowing you. This car is coming up behind you, following you down the path and you have no idea that they are even there.

If you were paying attention, though, you would know exactly what to do and what you need to react to. For example, you would have heard the car approach and turned to see that they were indeed shadowing you. You can know react in the right manner, before the driver even has the time to do anything to you.

To react in the proper way in this situation, turn your body around and run back into the direction that you came from, avoiding the passenger doors of the car. This way, if the attacker does want to come after you using his car, he has to turn the car around and then pursue you. That takes time and enough time for you to get out of there.

If the person gets out of the car, use the methods we’ve described for hurting them so that you can then get out of the potential problem. Get as far away from the car as you can because stepping foot inside of it means that you are likely not to come back out safely.

This is particularly important when you are on a dark street or on a freeway at night time when it can be hard to hear someone approaching from behind.

Cars often will approach a woman walking along the side of the street, open the door, grab her and pull her in. Within a matter of minutes, you are gone and there is no trail left to help you.

If you walk against traffic, though, the car would be coming at you, you could see it, run or get out of the way, before it got anywhere near to where you are. This keeps you out of harm’s way more often than not.

Some do have central locking systems which you need to be aware of. Again, keeping your cool is important just as being able to notice what is happening around you. By doing this it will ultimately help to protect you.

It is also important to notice where you sit. Do not get into the cab on your own and sit behind the driver. He is now easily able to reach behind and lock the door. This means that you can not get out of the vehicle and he can take you wherever he wants.

Instead, sit on the passenger side of the car. Always keep yourself aware of where you are going, what he is doing and what is happening around you. If you notice that you are going the wrong way, ask him about this. Do not assume that it’s just a short cut. The sooner you know that there is a problem, the easier it will be for you to get out and get into a safe situation.

If you want to be safe, the best thing to do is to call the taxi company directly, ask for a taxi and then wait for it.

If you do approach a taxi by just waving him down, there is no record nor is there any way to know who is actually approaching you. On the other hand, if you were to actually call the station, ask for a cab and then wait for it to come and pick you up, there is now a record of who is picking you up and when.

This may seem to be an inconvenience and a time waster. But, the element of safety is something that you do need to pay close attention to. Realize that you must take whatever precautions are necessary to protect yourself if you are to survive and avoid a negative situation! Inconvenient or not, it is the best way to protect yourself!

When you approach a taxi to get in to it, stop and ask the driver for his identification. Most of the time, this is actually displayed on the visor or near the mirror. Look at the identification and the driver. Do they match? If not, do not drive in the taxi with the person.

Be wary of any taxi driver that does not feel right or that you simple do not like. This could be someone that your body is reacting to. Remember to listen to your body!

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 in a rougher neighborhood and just do not feel safe, and no one can help you, do call the police and ask for an escort from them. They are committed to helping to protect you from unwanted attackers!

Always continue as far as you can before stopping to make sure that you are in a well lit, safe location before getting out of the car. In many cars, when a tire has a flat, it will signal this to you, in which case you know you should pull over. If you do not have that advantage, you will want to pull to the side of the road and call for help.

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!)

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.

One problem that often can happen is when you approach your car only to find that someone is hiding behind the seat of your car or is otherwise in the car. You may even approach your car to find someone that is pointing a knife or a gun at you from inside your car.

If this happens to you, do not get into that car! Run as far from the car as you can and scream as you do it. Ask for others to call 911. Run in a jagged line so that you are less likely to be hit by a bullet should one come at you.

The attacker is very unlike to pursue you. Instead, he is likely to flee realizing that you are now in the position to identify him. If you get into the car, there is very little chance of getting out of this situation. Never get into the car!