Personal Safety
Suzy Lamplugh Trust logo
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust provides the following advice on personal safety:
Many of us feel most vulnerable when on foot, but if you learn to recognise potential dangers you can usually avoid them.
• Avoid danger spots like quiet or badly lit alleyways, subways or isolated car parks. Walk down the middle of the pavement if the street is deserted.
• If you do have to pass danger spots, think about what you would do if you felt threatened. The best idea is to head for a public place where you know there will be other people, for example a garage or shop.
• If you are at all worried, try and walk with a friend or stay near a group of people.
• Avoid passing stationary cars with their engines running and people sitting in them.
• Try to keep both hands free and don’t walk with your hands in your pockets.
• Always take the route you know best and try to use well lit, busy streets.
• Walk facing on coming traffic to avoid curb crawlers.
• Keep your mind on your surroundings – remember if you are wearing a personal stereo or chatting on your mobile phone you will not hear trouble approaching.
• It is a good idea to have a mobile phone, a phonecard, or some spare change with you to enable you to make a phone call.
• Be careful when using cashpoint machines; always check before using that a card-capturing device used by fraudsters has not been attached to the machine. Make sure nobody is hovering nearby and do not count your money in the middle of the street.
• If you think you are being followed, trust your instincts and take action. As confidently as you can, cross the road turning and look to see who is behind you. If you are still being followed, keep moving. Make for a busy area and tell people what is happening. If necessary, call the police.
• If a vehicle pulls up suddenly alongside you, turn and walk in the other direction – you can turn much faster than a car.