To ensure your own personal safety when travelling in your vehicle make sure that you:
Minimise risk
- Ensure that your vehicle is regularly serviced and properly maintained. If you think there is a problem with your vehicle, get it checked out.
- Regularly check your oil and water levels and check your fuel gauge to ensure it is accurate.
- Make sure that you are a member of a breakdown organisation such as the RAC or the AA and remember to keep the details in your car.
Don’t get involved in road rage
- If another driver is aggressive towards you or makes threatening gestures, try to remain calm and don’t respond aggressively in return.
- Avoid making eye contact with aggressive drivers.
- Make sure that your doors are locked and your windows are up if there are aggressive drivers around.
- If an aggressive driver gets out of their car and comes towards you, and you are unable to get away, draw attention to the situation by sounding your horn, flashing your lights and setting your alarm off.
- Don’t get out of your vehicle to approach aggressive drivers.
- If you do come across an aggressive driver try to remember the registration number and the make, model and colour of the vehicle. When you have reached your destination, or if you can pull over somewhere safely, report the incident to the police.
- Get away from the situation as soon as possible but don’t speed or drive recklessly to do this.
Park in secure locations
- Wherever possible park in secured car parks which have cameras or security staff present.
- If you can’t find a secure car park near where you need to be look for a busy car park that is well lit at night.
- Try to get into the habit of reversing into parking spaces so that if when you return you need to drive away quickly, it is easier to do so.