by Michele Mathews

Created on: December 22, 2009

While traveling on your spring break, you have stopped at a gas station, filled your car up with gas, gone inside to pay for the gas, and grabbed a bite to eat before returning to your car so you can continue on your journey. Before you leave the inside safety of the gas station, you glance around the parking lot, get your keys in your hand, and keep your head up observing the things around you as you move toward your car.

As a woman traveling alone, you are being cautious and looking out for your own safety. One of the things you have learned over the years as a female driver is to always have your keys in your hand when you leave the safety of any place whether it is a store, an office building, or your workplace. You should also look around as you leave the safety of those places. Keep your head up and observe the people and things happening around you. See who else is moving around in the parking lot. If you have your head down and are digging through your purse, you make yourself a target for anyone wanting to rob or carjack you.

Once you reach your car, continue to look around as you unlock your doors. Of course, if you have keyless entry, that is even better so you can focus on what is going on around you. You should lock your doors as soon as you are seated in your car and keep the doors locked until you absolutely have to unlock them again. If someone approaches your car and wishes to speak to you, you should crack your window just enough so you can converse with the person, but don’t roll your window all the way down.

Whether you are traveling a short or long distance, you should go to a populated area so that other people are around. As the saying goes, there is a safety in numbers. You will be much safer if you can see others around you and are not in a place where no one is around to help if needed.

If you have a cell phone, you should plan to take it with you when you travel, especially if an emergency should arise, and make sure you have the charger so you can plug it into your cigarette lighter should the battery need charged. Of course, you shouldn’t use the cell phone while you are driving unless you have a head set or speaker.

Finally, as with any driver, you just need to use common sense. Use your head, follow the rules of the road, and arrive safely at your destination.

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