Group Travel: Avoid walking or jogging alone, especially at night. Travel with a companion or in a group, which can reduce your vulnerability to street crime by up to 70 percent.
Campus Escorts: During evening hours, call Public Safety to accompany you around campus.
Route Planning: Plan your path in advance, stick to familiar areas, and vary your routine and schedule dynamically to avoid predictability.
Environmental Awareness: Remain highly alert and aware of your surroundings and the people around you at all times. Immediately report any suspicious activity or unusual noises.
No Headphones: Do not wear headphones or earphones (such as for an iPod or phone), as they severely impair your ability to detect and respond to potentially dangerous situations.
Sensible Dress & Visibility: Wear bright colors to improve your visibility to drivers. Dress in clothing and shoes that will not hamper your movement if you need to move quickly.
Home & Room Security: Take a key with you and lock your house or room when you leave; do not leave it unsecured, as someone could be watching your patterns.
Essential Gear: Always carry your identification, a cell phone, and a noise-making device (such as a whistle or a shrill alarm) to summon help.
Valuables Management: Avoid carrying extra cash, wearing jewelry, or exposing unnecessary valuables on your person. If you must carry a purse, keep it securely closed and held tightly against your body rather than letting it dangle.
Secluded Spaces: Avoid dark, vacant, deserted, or dimly lighted areas. Stay on well-lit routes.
Natural Hiding Spots: Steer completely clear of alleys, bushes, vacant lots, parks after dark, and structural entryways where a person could easily hide.
Traffic Positioning: When exercising on roadsides, always move while facing oncoming traffic.
Transit Proximity: Avoid using isolated bus or train stops, especially during late-night hours when fewer people are around.
Hitchhiking: Never hitchhike or accept rides from strangers.
Vehicular Approaches: If a driver pulls up beside you to ask a question, maintain a safe distance and avoid getting anywhere near the vehicle.
If Followed by a Car: Turn around and walk in the exact opposite direction. This tactical move forces the driver to execute a U-turn to continue tracking you, buying you critical time.
Evasion: If you sense trouble, immediately cross the street, increase your pace, and move away from the potential threat toward a more populated area or a nearby group of people.
If Followed on Foot: Cross the street or change directions. Keep looking back to maintain visual tracking and gather a strong, detailed physical description of the person.
Creating a Commotion: If a threatening situation is imminent, yell, scream, or do whatever you can to raise a loud commotion and draw the immediate attention of bystanders.
Seeking Safe Haven: If you are being actively tracked or face danger, run directly to the nearest open business, populated building, or occupied house for protection.
Activating Emergency Systems
- 911 Calls: Dial 911 immediately from your cell phone or any public phone (where emergency calls are free) and give a description of the suspect.
- Campus Blue Lights: Activate a campus blue light emergency phone; these require a simple push of a button to instantly alert and notify emergency services of your exact location.
- Fire Alarms: Remember that activating a physical fire alarm is a valid component of your emergency safety system if you need to force an immediate building evacuation or draw a crowd.
- Confronting an Armed Criminal: If directly confronted by an armed criminal, you may minimize your risk of personal injury by complying with their property demands. However, if your life is in immediate, lethal danger, employ any physical defense necessary to break away and escape.
Safety Gear: Wear a certified helmet at all times when riding, and use a dedicated bike light whenever you ride at night.
Traffic Laws: Obey all local traffic laws exactly like a motor vehicle. You must come to a complete stop at intersections, and you must always yield the right of way to pedestrians.
Hand Signals: Give proper, clear hand signals before leaving a lane, turning, or stopping. Only transition out of a lane when it is completely safe to do so.
Pedestrian Awareness: Pay close attention to your surroundings and actively warn pedestrians with a voice or bell before passing them. Take extra caution when driving through parking lots or passing parking lot exits.
Anti-Theft Locking: Secure your bicycle with a heavy-duty U-lock or solid chain. Whenever possible, lock both the front wheel and the main frame directly to an official bike rack or a secure, stationary object.
Parking Restrictions: Do not park or lock your bicycle in doorways, on stairs, or in any location blocking handicapped access points. Always use designated bike racks.
Identification Registry: Engrave or permanently mark your bicycle with a unique identifying number, and formally record that number with Public Safety or the local police department to assist with recovery if it is ever stolen.