“50% of drivers respond to the careless acts of other drivers with aggressive behavior themselves.”-American Psychology Assoc.
Commuting Safety Tips
The average American spends 90 minutes a day commuting to and from work. For many in larger cities, it is a lot more. This large amount of your time deserves some attention in regards to your safety. Following these simple commuting safety tips will help to ensure that you are not a victim of crime on your daily commute.
Always Have an Escape
Gas Station Safety
Accidents Happen
Carry a Self-Defense Weapon
A stun gun is the preferrable choice for use if you are attacked in your car. Pepper spray is not ideal for closed spaces and face-to-face confrontation through your car window because the fine spray will affect you as well as your attacker. Additionally, pepper spray should not be kept at the extreme temperatures the inside of your car reaches in high summer and the dead of winter.
Stun guns offer maximum effectiveness in a non-lethal weapon by using strong electrical current that will cause an attacker’s muscles to lock up in agony while you hit the gas and get out of there.
Knives are also excellent self-defense choices for protecting yourself on your commute. In addition to providing highly effective defensive protection, a self-defense blade has a multitude of other handy uses that make them a good car safety tool to keep on hand in general.
“According to CNN, the number of reported road rage incidents has increased over 500% in the last 10 years.”
Road Rage is Rising
The reality is that road rage has amplified exponentially in recent years. It used to be that an angry driver would lay on their horn and flip you the middle finger when you accidentally cut them off. Today you have to be worried about someone pulling a gun out and shooting at you!
The flip side is also true. Do not respond in anger if someone cuts you off or is driving too slowly. Behind the wheel of a half-ton weapon, aka your car, is no place to put your ego on display. You never know if the person driving the other car is carrying a pistol or may cut you off and cause a horrible crash. People are crazy these days and you have to make the decision beforehand that your life is not worth engaging with them on that level.
Pack Your Emergency Auto Kit
Emergencies happen. Weather happens. Breakdowns happen. There are a multitude of scenarios that could unfold on your commute to work that could cause you to have to spend a few hours or even a few days in your car. This is the reason you need to be prepared with an auto emergency kit.
At the very least you should be carrying the following items in your vehicle as a precaution. For a more in depth discussion of creating your own auto safety kit, please read our article 10 Decisive Items Vital to Auto Safety.
• Waterproof, comfortable walking shoes
• Warm blanket
• Bottled water (replace every 3 months)
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Emergency cash in small bills
• Self-defense weapon
Excellent items to bolster your emergency auto safety kit include an emergency glass window breaker, a few granola bars and a power bank to recharge your phone battery if it dies.
Taking these simple safety measures can help ensure that your daily commute is a safe one. Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and stay alert to what is going on around you at all times. Safety awareness is the #1 rule of self-defense and your commute to work is no exception.
Defense Divas® wants you to be equipped to defend yourself not only with a self-defense weapon, but also with the practical knowledge of safety awareness and prevention.
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