Safety 1st Driving School cares about ALL Orange County drivers – young and old, men, women and children. It’s in all our best interests to be sure drivers have accurate, up-to-date, relevant information to help them be safe on our freeways and city roads. Safety 1st is dedicated to providing that information because we care.
Today we’d like to provide some safety tips for young women drivers. We at Safety 1st treat all our students like our own children. We care about your safety – not just your behind-the-wheel skills and knowledge, but your personal safety as well. So pay attention, OC girls!
And frankly, this advice applies to women of all ages – teens, college age, single or married, all the way up to seniors. Remember: knowledge is power!
Keeping Yourself Safe On (and Off) the Road
1. Don’t go out alone late at night. Try to get all your errands done and be home at a reasonable time, when a lot of people are still out and about. If you need to go out, take someone with you. The Buddy System isn’t just for kindergartners.
2. If you go out after dark, park in a lighted area – preferably under a street lamp. If you have to park in a parking garage, try to park nearest an exit.
3. If you are leaving a shopping center at night alone, ask someone from the store to walk you out. Most places have security personnel who would be happy to escort you to your vehicle.
4. As you’re walking out to your car, have your keys in hand and look around and inside your car before entering it.
5. As soon as your butt hits the seat, lock your doors – even during the day. If you’re the type of person who looks at your shopping receipt, balances your checkbook, or simply takes a few minutes to get settled, make locking your doors an immediate priority.
6. Don’t park next to large vans, especially ones with tinted windows and sliding doors.
7. Always be aware of your surroundings! Don’t shuffle through your purse or send text messages while walking to your car.
8. If you have car trouble, don’t accept a ride from a stranger. Use your cell phone or ask to use someone else’s cell phone, and call a tow truck or someone you trust to come and help you.
9. If someone else has car trouble and asks you for help and you don’t feel comfortable, offer to call a tow truck or family member for them. If they have run out of gas and have a gas can, offer to take it to the nearest gas station and fill it up for them. If you feel guilty for leaving someone in distress, wait in your car until someone else shows up, then leave. Bottom line – trust your intuition.
10. Trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right or someone is making you uncomfortable, go with your gut. Oftentimes people (women especially) don’t want to be rude, so we will talk to someone who makes us feel uncomfortable. Your safety is much more important than being polite.
Stay safe, ladies!