It is an unfortunate societal fact that women are especially susceptible to falling victim to a number of car crimes, such as robbery, assault and car-jacking.
Whilst it is imperative that all motorists practise caution and safety when driving, given that females are at a greater risk of being the target of car crime, women need to be particularly vigilant to avoid becoming victims, especially when they are driving alone.
Fortunately there are several precautions women can take to optimise their safety on the road.
1/ Have your keys at the ready.
Rummaging around in a handbag at your car door looking for your keys is an all but open invitation for opportunist thieves to run up and steal your bag, or even worse. It is therefore a good idea to have your keys at the ready so that you can get into your car with unnecessary delay.
2/ Think about where you park.
It goes without saying that parking down a deserted backstreet would make you more prone to car crime. It is important that you pay attention to where you park and leave your car in a well-lit area that is surrounded by plenty of other vehicles.
If you park in a car park try to leave your car as close to the parking attendant as possible. It may also be a sensible measure to avoid parking close to a van, where criminals have been known to hide, waiting to prey on females and their cars.
3/ Think twice before stopping to help anyone who seems to be in trouble.
There have been an increasing number of reports in recent years of gang members using children who pretend to be lost or in trouble to lure female drivers. These good samaritans then run the risk of being robbed, assaulted or kidnapped.
Sadly children crying on the roadside have been used as a ploy to ensnare women drivers. If you do witness such a situation when out driving, instead of pulling over immediately, it would be wiser to take a note of the location of the incident, pull over when it’s next safe to do so and ring the police immediately.
Of course the same level of precaution should be observed should you see anyone waving down motorists, particularly in a remote location. While someone may have genuinely broken down and be appealing for help, you can never be too sure. If in any doubt whatsoever it is better to call the police than stop yourself.
4/ Use diligence when stopping for an unmarked police car.
If you know that you haven’t broken any traffic laws and that your car is perfectly legal yet an unmarked police car is signalling you to stop, proceed with caution. It is advisable to drive into a well-lit and heavily-populated area, such as a petrol station or a supermarket car park. Don’t get out of your car or unwind the window until the police officer has shown you their identification badge.
5/ Keep your car well maintained.
Cars can break down in remote, dangerous and inconvenient of areas and unfortunately a female driver breaking down in a car alone will make her an easy target for criminals.
You can help prevent this stomach-lurching situation from arising by keeping your car well serviced and regularly maintained. Make sure that your car never misses a service, that its tyres are changed when necessary and that all internal parts are in good working order to avoid breaking down in the wrong place at the wrong time. Replacing car bulbs every other year will also make sure that if you do break down you won’t be left in the dark and you will be able to keep the area around you well lit.
This is a guest post provided by www.eurocarparts.com.
Euro Car Parts is the UK’s leading Car Parts Supplier with over 130 stores nationwide and free delivery supplied online via the website.