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Security While Driving: The Do's and Dont's

DRIVING HINTS

Avoid driving close behind other vehicles, especially service trucks, and be aware of activities and road conditions two to three blocks ahead. If two blocks in front of you there is a situation that requires you to stop, don't drive up to the incident -- hold back and see what develops or take an alternate route, if possible.
In so far as possible, travel only on busy, well-traveled thoroughfares, staying away from isolated back country roads. Know where the dangerous areas in the city are located and avoid them.
On multiple lane highways, drive towards the center of the road; this makes it more difficult for your car to be forced to the curb or attacked from the driver's side -- the most common direction of the attack.
When traveling in an automobile, keep all doors locked. Keep the windows closed or opened only a small crack.
When abroad, avoid cars or actions that identify you as an American or as someone wealthy or important. Use locally produced cars of a popular color, if possible.
Before you drive off, look around to see if there are any occupied cars parked nearby. If there are, watch to see if they follow you.
Check periodically to see if you are being followed. If you think you are, make a note of the chase car's license number, make and model and of it's occupants description. Give this to your security director or the civil authorities. In high-risk situations, use your radio or cell phone to notify the authorities. If you do not have such a communication device, proceed at once to the nearest safe haven.
Be extremely leery of any type of roadblock or holdup in traffic. Stop well back of any type obstruction and observe it carefully. If you are suspicious, make a quick turn and a hasty retreat.
Don't stop while driving. Kidnappers stage accidents or plant beautiful girls on the roadside with flat tires as bait. Don't let any of these tricks fool you.
You are in danger both going to and coming from the airport. In most cases, airline security measures do not protect you until you are inside the terminal. Therefore, the precautions we have previously outlined are important.
Consider membership in an automobile towing and road service club such as the AAA.
Drive during daylight hours, preferably.
Consider 1/2 marker on gas gauge as empty and keep gas supply above this level.
4.Choose well-lighted routes, with traffic.
When halted in traffic, allow some space for maneuvering between your vehicle and the one in front.
When halted for red light or stop sign, keep the car in gear.
Keep checking your rear and side view mirror.
Stay alert

In traffic, avoid the curb lane, where you are easy prey for carjackers. When you stop at a red light, leave space between you car and the car in front of you. This allows you room to maneuver if someone approaches your car.

Don't leave your keys in the car when you get out to pay for gas or use the phone.
Use gas-station pumps, phone booths and ATM's that are easily visible from the street or a nearby store.
If you notice another car following you, drive to a police station, fire station or gas station where you can summon help. If you see someone suspicious near your home, drive to a friend's house and call the police.
Familiarize yourself with the uniforms and squad cars of your local police force to avoid impersonators.
If a policeman signals you to pull over without apparent cause, keep driving at normal speed to a lighted, populated area. If, when you stop, his car is unmarked, ask--through your closed window--for a marked squad car to meet you.

VEHICLE Hints

Keep the ignition key separate and never leave the trunk key with parking or service attendants. If at all possible, never leave the car keys with anyone. In a recent kidnapping, the terrorists walked up to the car and opened it with their own key.
Park cars off the street at night
Lock unattended cars, no matter how short the time.
Before you get into your car, walk around it and check for signs of illegal entry and for anyone hiding in the back seat.
Park your car in a locked garage or protected area.
Don't identify executive parking areas as such. Private parking spaces should be identified by number rather than name. It possible, the parking spaces should be randomly changed.
Parking areas should be well lighted and patrolled by members of your security force.
Always keep your gas tank at least half full and use a locking gas cap. Check your fuel level before you drive anywhere.
All vehicles should be equipped with hood and gas tank locks to hinder the quick attachment and concealment of bombs.
Gasoline should be provided through a company - controlled facility or purchased on a random basis from local stations.
Equip cars with a loud siren or some other audible device for activation in case of attack.

General Security

Getting to and from the car is often the most critical part of carjackings. It is a time to be alert. Survey the area for any unusual people or activities nearby. Be leery of anyone standing around the car. If you feel there is a problem don't go near the car. If possible carry a portable cellular phone, and if you feel there is a problem call for help. Have the numbers you need to call programmed into the phone.

If you use a garage or underground parking, look around the area carefully and choose the safest route to your car.

Whenever possible, choose a route that requires the fewest possible stops. Routes traveled past police or fire stations are usually a good choice, since the number of official vehicles will travel the same area.

Be leery of small rear end collisions. If there was no screeching of tires prior to the accident it may be a set up. Also be careful if a car stops abruptly in front of you and cause a rear-end collision.

When you stop keep a safe distance between your car and others to avoid being boxed in. When you stop make sure you can see the bottom of the tires in front of you. This leaves room for you to maneuver in the event of an emergency.

First Defensive Layer: Know Your Car

Subscribe to a service that will provide emergency assistance and towing. Your local automobile club (AAA) or the National Automobile Association provide excellent service at very reasonable annual rates. So do some automobile insurance plans and car warranty contracts. If your car has to be towed even once, you will have more than repaid the annual fee. But keep in mind that these services will probably not be available during a civil disturbance.
Know your car’s fuel capacity. Today’s mid-size cars are usually equipped with twenty- gallon gasoline tanks. Compact cars usually have ten or twelve gallon tanks. Today’s mid-size cars average between sixteen and eighteen miles to the gallon in the city, while small cars get about 23 miles to the gallon. The math is simple enough: with a tank half full, a mid-size car will go between 160 and 180 miles, or idle for about two and one half hours. A small car will go about 115 miles and idle for about two hours. This should be enough to take you out of a dangerous situation, even in stop-and-go traffic.
Know your car’s maintenance requirements and follow them. In the “old days” before the Arab Oil embargoes of the 197-’s, service stations routinely checked your battery, oil, water and tire pressure and the service station attendant could be depended on to alert you to potential problems in these areas. Knowledgeable service station attendants are now an extinct species. You must depend on yourself.

Consult your owner’s manual for the schedule of periodic service; then follow it. If you don’t have an owner’s manual, use the following rules of thumb:

Make certain that your car’s door locks work. Lubricate them periodically with light household oil or lubricant obtained from an auto supply store.
Carry a spare door lock and ignition key in your wallet. In an emergency situation, there will be no time to search through purses or briefcases for keys that may have been lost or misplaced.
Make sure you have a locking hood. Can the hood be opened only from inside the car? If not, auto parts stores sell inexpensive, easy-to-install release locks.
Attach a small flashlight to your key chain. Mag-Lite of Ontario, California, makes an excellent single AA battery halogen bulb flashlight with an aluminum body to fit your key chain. Many other companies make similar lights. The can provide a bright light to shine on car door and house or apartment locks. It could be a lifesaver in an emergency.
Put a larger two, three or even four cell, preferable “D” size, flashlight in your car’s glove compartment. Many companies make big flashlights with sturdy aluminum bodies, some even have a receptacle in the cap to hold a spare bulb. Not only do they provide bright, halogen light, but they are strong enough to be used as weapons. Police departments all over the country issue them for that double purpose.

SECOND LAYER OF DEFENSE: SECURITY WHILE DRIVING

Your behavior behind the wheel is important. If you appear to be rich, weak, lost, confused or preoccupied, you increase your chances of being attacked. If you are, and appear to be, aware of your surroundings, confident, know where you are going and in control, you decrease your chances. Maintain your awareness at all times. Bad things happen when you are not paying attention.
It is safer to drive a plain vanilla car than a sexy BMW, Mercedes or one of the new high visibility cars like a Dodge Stealth. If you cannot resist, downplay any signs of ostentation in the passenger cabin.
Drive like a fighter pilot. Learn to check either side and behind you frequently. Develop the three-mirror scan, left side, (center) rear view mirror, and right side view mirror. Consciously check to “See” what you can see. Don’t let it simply be an unconscious habit you occasionally do.
Make driving with your windows up and the doors locked a habit. Run the air conditioner for fresh air and cooling. It’s worth the extra gallon or so per tank.
Never, ever roll down your window, even a crack, to speak to a stranger who approaches your car. You can be heard just as well through a closed window. A popular form of attack uses this type of approach, so don’t let them catch you off guard.
Consider the purchase of a cellular telephone and subscribe to the least busy service offered in your area. Cellular service is available in all urban and most suburban areas in the United States and Canada. Pick the least busy service so that your call can get through in an emergency.
Program 911 into the phone’s one key dialing memory. Also program the business telephone numbers of the police departments servicing the areas through which you normally drive. If the 911 number is busy, you can often get through to the police by using their business phone number.
Know where you are at all times. Carry an up-to-date city map in your car. Use it to check your route before starting out if you are unfamiliar with the streets and the area.
Never leave the map on the seat where it is visible from the outside. It marks you as unfamiliar with the area and far from home. Copy instructions onto a small piece of paper including the names of streets beyond in case you overshoot and hide the map under the seat.
If your city has a dedicated radio station which provides traffic and/or route updates, listen to it periodically. If not, find a radio station that provides frequent traffic reports. Know when they come on. It will usually be at times such as on the hour, on the half hour, and on the quarter hour.
Do not drive next to curbs or median strips in heavy traffic. It is easy to smash a window, yank open a door and slide in or reach in to steal your belongings when you are stopped for a traffic signal, or creeping along in heavy traffic.

SPECIAL CONCERNS: PARKING LOTS AND STRUCTURES

TIP: When entering a parking lot, or more particularly a parking structure, whether in daylight or after dart, be aware of other people in the area with you.

TIP: When returning to your car, check it carefully as you approach. A trick popular among thieves and rapists is to plug the exhaust pipe of your car. Back pressure in the exhaust system prevents the engine from starting.

TIP: Another trick is to deflate the offside front tire, something that is not readily noticeable. The thief or rapist then waits for you to leave the car to check the tire. If you don’t trust the surroundings or see suspicious people nearby, you’re better off to drive with a flat tire to a safe location to check it or have it fixed.

TIP: Have the key to the door lock in your hand and ready when you approach the car, if not always when walking. Use a flashlight on your key chain to light the lock. Open the door quickly, slide inside and lock the door immediately.

TIP: If you are carrying packages, put them down on the ground, trunk deck or hood while you unlock the door. Be aware of your surroundings as you do so. If someone approaches, leave the packages outside, slide inside and sound the horn.

TIP: If you find your car will not start, or the tire is flat, stay inside with the door locked. Use that cellular phone to call for help and wait inside until the repair truck arrives.

TIP: If the tire is flat and someone you do not know approaches the car and offers to help, speak to him or her through the closed window. If they insist you open the door, drive away; a ruined tire and rim is a small price to pay for your safety. If your car will not start, sound the horn until the person leaves.

TIP: If you do not have a cellular phone, wait until several people are in the lot before unlocking your door and going for help. Again, be aware of your surroundings.

TIP: Consider a car alarm that has a “panic” mode. These can trigger the alarm to sound from a distance of up to 100 feet. They can also trigger the alarm if you’re inside the car.

STREET SAVVY GUIDELINES

The following general safety measures will also help you avoid muggings, purse-snatching and sexual assaults.

§ Avoid walking through deserted streets, alleys and unpopulated parks. Try to avoid unfamiliar areas.

§ Walk nearer to the curb, away from bushes, doorways and fences, which provide cover for someone who is stalking a victim.

§ Always remain within lighted areas at night.

§ Never accept rides from strangers. (Sounds obvious, but people still do it!)

§ If you must go out alone at night, tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return.

§ Wait for buses, taxis and trains in well-lighted, well-populated areas. If given a choice, don't board a bus or train if there are no other passengers. If you must board a bus or train without passengers, sit up front near the driver or conductor, but not in an inside seat next to the window. You do not want someone to come in and trap you in your seat.

o If you must wait for the train in a deserted station, stand well back from the edge of the platform.

o If you job, walk, or bike, vary your routes and times, avoiding isolated trails. If possible, go with a partner. Again, let someone know your route and when to expect your return.

§ Leave the jewelry and headphones home. If you jog before dawn or after dark, wear reflective clothing.

§ Use your intuition. If you feel uneasy about a person or place, avoid it.

§ Carry identification inside your shoe, as well as change for a phone call.

HOME SECURITY CHECKLIST

Now that you've done all you can to prevent a thief from getting into your house through doors or windows, consider the following questions in assessing your total home security plan:

Are your house numbers visible by day and night from the street?
In an emergency, police or firefighters should be able to locate your house easily.

Are timers used when you're away for any extended period of time?
They should be attached to lights, and a television or radio, and should be set to turn on during times when they would normally be in use. Do not leave your lights on during the day. This signals a burglar that you are not home and won't be home until after dark.
Does each room have window blinds or shades?
Are they securely drawn at night to protect your privacy?
Do all your telephones have emergency phone numbers posted on or near them?
Do only family members and trusted friends have keys that fit your locks?
(Don't hide a spare key in an obvious place like over the door- jamb, under a doormat or taped under the mailbox.)
If you keep weapons in your home, are they stored in a safe location to prevent accidental discovery?
Is there a complete inventory list of all property, with extra copies at your insurance company and in your safe deposit box?

If you live in an apartment, also check the following:

Do main outer doors lock automatically and do they require resident keys to open them?
Does management re-key locks when you first move in or after a break-in?
(If not, it's worth the cost of doing it yourself.)
Are all stairways, hallways and surrounding areas well lit?
Is the laundry room well lighted and safe from intruders?
Does your building have a working emergency fire alarm? Do you know the location of the fire exits?

Behavioral Warning Signs

If someone you know gets violent when they get upset or drunk, you should put distance between the two of you when they drink or get upset. Just leave when they get this way, even if it means running away from your home.

But even strangers can give valuable clues as to their state of mind and intentions, which can give you time to prepare or flee. These clues include:

Increasing level of agitation: This indicates that the individual is becoming more irrational, aggressive, and volatile.
Excessive emotional attention toward you: This indicates that you are their primary focus.
Conspicuously ignores you: This indicates they might be setting you for a sucker punch.
Exaggerated movements (such as pacing back and forth, finger pointing, belligerent verbal dialogue): These indicate that this individual is losing rational control.
Facial color changes to flushed: This indicates that there is a great change in the body's internal and emotional functioning. (A flushed face may be the body's primitive way of making itself look scarier.)
Ceasing all movement: If the individual goes from moving and talking with anxious intensity to stop all movement and talking, it may be the "calm before the storm".
Changes from total lack of cooperation to, total cooperation: This may indicate that you are being set up for an attack.

Pre-Attack Cues

Pre-attack cues are even clearer signs of imminent danger. Some of these are:

Shifting one foot in back of the other, often to a boxer's stance, so the body is more stable, and can move towards you more easily.
Clenching the fists, to prepare for attack by "lubricating" the finger joints, and to keep under control.
Shifting the shoulders back, a primitive body sign designed to give you the message that they mean business, as well as providing a certain amount of protection, or as preparation for striking you.
Looking for a weapon to attack with or at a specific area with or at a specific area of your body.(This may be a target glance).
Conspicuously looking elsewhere while talking with you.(They may be trying to distract you prior to a surprise attack, or checking out their post attack escape route).
Depersonalizing you, which may show as a thousand yard stare. The subject might depersonalizing you so that they are attacking a thing rather than a person.
Hiding or adverting the face. By performing a facial wipe, by which they attempt to hide the level of anxiety they are experiencing by physically moving their hands over their face.
Bobbing up and down or rocking back & forth on the balls of the feet.
Growling. Some people growl before they attack.
Lowering the body slightly, causing the head to lower, just before moving in for the attack.
Facial coloring changing from flushed to pale.

Be aware of and look for these feelings, behaviors, and cues, as they are clear signs of danger. When you see these signs, you should try to calm this person down, to create safe distance between you , or to place a solid object between you.