Safety in the Car

Travelling by car allows a considerable freedom of movement, often enhancing one’s quality of life. By considering some practical safety strategies in and out of the car, you are encouraged to formulate your own personal safety plan to increase your feelings of safety.

Maintenance

It is vitally important to maintain your car in good repair and have it serviced regularly. Make sure you have plenty of petrol and that the fuel gauge is accurate. Check the condition and air pressure of your spare and other tyres regularly. Know how to change the tyres on your car.

Resources

Consider keeping pen, paper, torch, and a street directory in the car. Have change for telephone calls, a phone card, or a mobile phone available. If caught short in an emergency you can call ‘000’ on any telephone without paying for the call.

Parking

• If possible, park in well-lit areas as close as possible to your destination.

• Lock your car whenever leaving it, even for a short time.

• Have your key ready when you return to your car to enable quick access. Before you enter the vehicle check first (including the back seat) to ensure all is in order.

Driving

• When driving in busy metropolitan areas, it is a good idea to keep the doors locked and your handbag, briefcase and other valuables out of sight.

• Be aware of your surroundings — try to make mental notes of street names and landmarks if you are unfamiliar with the area.

• Plan your route. If possible, try to stay on main roads. If travelling in an isolated area tell someone where you are going and your estimated time of arrival.

Being Followed

• If you think you are being followed, drive to a populated area, such as a service station or police station, and ask for assistance. Try to obtain the registration number and description of the car and driver following you and report them to police. Note: It is not a good idea to drive home, particularly if you live alone.

• If a passing motorist indicates that you should stop, it is recommended that you keep driving to a service station or populated area before getting out to check your vehicle. If you do stop, it is a good idea to stay in the car with the doors locked and engine running and talk through a partially opened window. Drive away if you feel threatened.

• If stopped by police who are not in uniform and in an unmarked car, wind your window down a little and ask to see their identification before getting out of your car.

• If someone does jump into your car, try to attract attention to the situation, e.g. driving with the horn on, flashing headlights and hazards lights and/or stopping in the middle of a busy intersection and throwing the keys out of the window. Once others are alerted, assistance may be sought or an opportunity created to get out of the vehicle to safety.

Breakdown

• If you are concerned about your car's performance and have the opportunity, get someone you know and trust to follow you until you reach a safe place.

• If you don't have this opportunity, attempt to find a safe place to stop such as a service station, somewhere populated and/or a well lit area a safe distance from potential traffic hazards.

• If you have a flat tyre think about driving slowly to a safe place to stop. Be aware that driving on a flat tyre will cause damage to the tyre and possible the wheel rim.

• Check your location and what resources you have available, and decide on a plan of action before leaving the car. The best course of action will depend on the location, the time of day/night and, most importantly, your instincts.

• If you are a considerable distance from a telephone or house, you could flag down a passer-by and ask for assistance. If you feel more comfortable, return to your vehicle, lock your car and talk through a partly opened window. Ask the motorist to call for help at the next available telephone. You will assist by providing written details including: your surname; the make and model of the car; registration number; breakdown service membership number; and exact location.

• If you leave the car to seek assistance take the keys, lock all doors and secure your valuables.

• Be aware of breakdown services that can be accessed throughout Queensland and interstate. Advise the service operator if you feel unsafe or threatened in any way, as there is generally a priority system for distress calls that can relay calls to the police immediately if necessary.

(Note: Break down services are for members only. If a non-member calls the club will generally assist with arranging for a service representative to attend at the caller's cost.)

• Mobile phones and CB radios can be invaluable in an emergency, but are not within everyone's budget. If you have a CB and require assistance, don't broadcast that you are alone. Note also that mobile phones may not transmit in some country areas.

• Decide where you feel safest to wait for assistance. This may be in your locked car, in a nearby shop or similarly populated area. Approaching an occupied house, or staying in a phone booth and calling a friend to talk with until the breakdown service arrives are also options. Tell the operator where you plan to wait, and the service representative can collect you from that location.

• If you approach a nearby house for assistance - trust your instincts. You may feel more comfortable to stay outside and ask the occupant to call for help on your behalf. In this instance it is useful to provide your written details to the occupant.

Dealing with Aggressive Motorists

If you encounter an aggressive motorist, there are a number of options available to you. It is best not to confront the person or get out of your car as this may put your personal safety in danger. Instead, consider the following strategies:

• If you have a mobile phone, contact the police and advise them of the situation, providing a description of the aggressive motorist, their vehicle and your location;

• Police will probably ask you to keep moving toward a certain point/ direction as they coordinate their patrol(s) to intercept the offender and also view his/her actions. It is a good idea to keep talking to police as they will reassure you and guide you to the desired location. Telephone calls to 000 are free, even from mobile phones;

• Drive to the nearest police station and report the incident immediately. Note: It is useful to know which police stations in your local area are open twenty-four hours; and

• Take note of the details of the incident, a description of the motorist and their vehicle and report the matter to police.

How You Can Assist Others

If you see someone's car broken down on the side of the road and in need of assistance you may consider:

• Stopping your car at a safe distance (i.e. ten metres) and calling out to the driver to offer to call for assistance from the next phone. Keeping a safe distance between the vehicles will enable both you and the person whose car has broken down to feel safe.

• To further preserve your safety, if you have a mobile phone, you may also wish to call for assistance, advising of your location, before you approach the broken down vehicle. Keep on the phone as you obtain relevant details from the driver.

• You are not advised to get out of your car unless you feel completely in control of the situation.

• If you feel comfortable to stop and talk to a motorist, only wind the window down about a fraction of an inch and talk through that space. If you wind the window down further, particularly on modern vehicles, the design of the window allows the window to be opened more with force.

• If you do not feel safe stopping, you could ring from the next available telephone and report the matter to the police.