50 Safety Tips

Always use the buddy system when going out, especially at night.
If you are walking alone and suddenly notice you are being followed, call the police. That sends your geo-location.
If it is safe to do so, make eye contact with the person you feel is suspicious. Say something to them. Now that you have seen their face and could identify them, you lose appeal as a target.
Learn to make mental notes about identifying features of a person, as if a police sketch artist is going to need those details.
If you think someone might be following you, walk to the other side of the road; if they follow, call for help.
When walking alone, make sure you aren't looking down at your phone, texting, or scrolling social media. Be alert and aware of your surroundings.
Do not have ear buds in when walking at night by yourself.
Stand between the control panel and the door when in an elevator, so that if someone enters and you feel uneasy you can easily press a button to get off at the next floor.
Have keys in hand when walking to your car so you don't have to fish through your bag or coat once you get there.
Try not to sit in your car and use your phone after parking at your destination.
Lock your car doors while you pump gas so no one can enter the car while you aren't looking.
Always tell someone you trust where you are going. If it's to someone's house, provide an address.
Change your routine. Don't drive or walk the same routes every day.
Use a verified safety app to find and report information about your area, and create a network of friends who can make sure you get home when traveling alone.
If you are being pulled over by an unmarked car, dial 911 to verify the person is a police officer. If unsure, do not pull over until it is verified.
Wait to pull over at a populated place like a gas station.
Choose parking spaces that are well lit.
Choose parking spaces that are not boxed in by vans or trucks.
Crack, never fully roll down, your car window.
If someone bullies you while you are in your locked car at a gas station, lay on your car horn until people come over.
Be loud and speak up. Don't be afraid to make a scene.
If you think you are being followed, trust your instincts and take action. Never drive toward your house or destination — drive to the police department.
At a party, don't leave your drink unattended. If someone offers to buy you a drink, watch the bartender make it.
If you have to meet someone you don't know well, meet at a public place instead of their house.
Keep the doors of your home locked at all times, even when you are inside.
If you have to walk your dog at night, attach a pepper-spray key chain to the leash and stay on well-lit roads.
Teach your dog to growl on command. It can make the dog pretty intimidating when you need it to be.
After getting into your car, lock the doors right away.
Don't post on social media where you are going. Wait until you have left — for example, post about a trail run after the run, not before.
Make your social media private and don't post your address, telephone number, or email.
Take a self-defense course. Many universities and police departments offer them free.
Invest in pepper spray or, if you can find it, pepper gel — the wind doesn't blow the gel toward you or away from your attacker.
Put pepper gel spray and a flat flashlight on your keychain.
Put a strong whistle on your keychain.
Always let someone know where you are, when you should be expected home, and the route you are taking if you know it ahead of time.
Always keep your cell phone fully charged.
Inspect your apartment window and door locks; if they are faulty, insist that managers pay for repairs.
Don't be home alone for any workman appointment.
Don't study late in isolated places on campus alone.
Inspect your windows' blinds. Use them.
Make strong understandings with your roommates. No one leaves the apartment open, and extra keys aren't available to just anyone.
If you hear hate talk, violent talk, or objectifying talk — even if couched in humor — call it to everyone's attention publicly, and report it assertively.
Be careful in public places about who overhears your plans.
If you see a young woman in trouble — hurt, impaired, or vulnerable — alert her friends or the police.
Have conversations with restaurant, nightclub, concert, and bar security or owners. Ask how they protect their clients and how they help save the next girl.
Report inappropriate comments to business owners, trusted teachers, your friends and family, and police.
Do not be afraid to call the police. They are there for us.
Relationship violence doesn't have to be between strangers or a couple. It can be friend on friend.
Know what relationship red flags are, and look for them.
Say no when you are unsure.

For more tips on staying safe, visit the FBI Scams and Safety page.