Walking alone at night can be a daunting experience. You might need to get groceries from down the street, go to a friend’s house, or go for a jog, or you may even be in a scenario where you’re walking home alone from an event. You may even be a person who wants to see their peers for an enjoyable night out in your town or your city but you’re concerned about being in the presence of a threatening person when you’re walking alone at night in the evening, which can be a nerve-wracking experience.
According to several statistics about walking alone at night, men are prone to attacks and assaults while walking, while women have an even higher chance of being attacked and assaulted. No matter who you are or where you come from, it’s valid that you might feel unsafe. And it’s valid that you want to have a safe-walk with no kind of trouble, especially when you’re doing simple things like running errands.
Even though the thought of walking to your destination might be daunting, with the right knowledge and a few precautions, you can walk through your evenings with better security, confidence, and peace of mind.
This article will let you know how to be safe when walking at night alone with 7 practical and reputable tips. Some of the important tips in this article include knowing and understanding your surroundings, potential warning signs, and important ways that you can plan a safe night out. Other tips mentioned in this post include things like some of the best self-defense techniques and safety products that are used by both civilians and people in service; understanding and practicing these tips, you can walk during the night with better safety.
STEP 1: Create a safe night out strategy
SAFE NIGHT OUT TIP 1: BRAINSTORMING IDEAS FOR YOUR SAFE NIGHT OUT STRATEGY
The first step that you can do is create a safe night out strategy. This includes thinking about different things that you can do to stay safe before you go out and walk alone at night. Below are some things that you can think about before you go out to help you stay safe on your evening walks to your destinations. This step can help you have a clear idea of what you can do and the help that you might have available to you in different scenarios of danger.
Reflect on the previous nights or days out and think about the things that helped you feel safe at night or during the day. And think of things that may not have been helpful to you. Maybe it helped to let your friends and loved ones know where you were. Or you found someone to help you when an acquaintance or stranger made you feel unsafe and were not being respectful of your boundaries.
Safe night out tip 2: Planning your route for walking at night
You can also do things like planning your route and your schedule for the evening. Make a plan for the times you want to leave home to go out and the times that you plan to go home.
For your safe night out strategy, this could include planning routes where you can walk safely at night close to crowds, in well-lit areas, and possibly having an extra pair of shoes for walking. You can also do your best to avoid low-lit and dark places like alleys. Doing this gives you the chance to see the other people around you clearly, and you might also have access to buildings that are close by and possibly open.
It gives you the chance to walk in and possibly ask someone there for help. Or you might have a place where you can stop by and wait for a friend to pick you up if you ever feel unsafe.
It’s important to consider different scenarios where someone with bad intent might try to cause harm and how you can respond. It can also be helpful to ask a family member or close friend that knows the area well (if you’re going to a new place) for advice and insight.
You can also plan how you’ll use some of your personal safety products (you’ll find more information about items for protection and safety below) or technology. It’s also a good idea to let your friends know where you will be and what actions they can take if you alert them in an emergency.
Safe night out tip 3: Use safety apps to let your loved ones know where you are
You can even test the apps with your loved ones to make sure that they get your SOS call or signal; another thing that you can consider is making sure that you have a wi-fi connection on your phone and reliable data before you go out. Take a bit of time to think about the logistics.
Likewise, make sure that your personal safety products like your cell phone or alarm are ready to use and easily accessible before you go out.
Ways that you can do this might include things like making sure that safety apps are open on your phone like the Google Maps app here. Also, make sure that the ‘Location Sharing’ setting is turned on. You can also do things like keeping a keychain connected to your pepper spray, making sure that it’s easily reachable on your walks.
A safe night out strategy should include things like planning your route and what you’ll bring with you. It should also include a list of reliable safe places to walk at night to and go to in case of an emergency, as well as people to call if needed. This can help to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable experience while you go out at night.
STEP 2: Let your friends or loved ones know where you’re going
It is a well known and sound recommendation to let your closest friends, family, and loved ones know where you’re going to be in the evening. By letting someone that you trust know where you are, you’re giving yourself an additional layer of safety in case of an emergency. In addition, this can also give some peace of mind for your loved ones who might wonder where you are after you’ve left.
How to be safe when walking alone tip 1: Texting, group chats, and location sharing
You can do this by sending them a quick text message or call before you leave. Let them know your route and where you’ll be spending your time if you feel comfortable doing so. If you’re not sure about sharing your route, you can simply share your destination. This can help them find you more easily in situations like getting lost, feeling unsafe, or needing someone to come pick you up. Just make sure that it is someone you know well and trust.
How to be safe when walking alone tip 2: Using apps and tech to alert your friends, loved ones, and the police
If it is more than one person, and they know each other, you can add them to a group chat letting them know your whereabouts as well.
In addition, you can also share your location with your loved ones in real time on Google Maps using it’s Location Sharing feature. Read how to do it here. Other ways that you can let your loved ones know where you are with location sharing include using apps like FindMyFriends (iPhone) and AirDroid Parental Control (Android and iPhone). More apps include the Google Personal Safety app and Google trusted Contacts, which can both be used regardless of the device.
Another highly recommended app is Noonlight (iPhone and Android). It has a button to press that will let the authorities know your location in an emergency. It’s a great app for walking alone at night or anywhere, and it’s highly reputable.
All the apps mentioned above are free to use on your device. (Check step 7 for more safety and protection devices and services!)
Letting your loved ones and the authorities know where you’re going when you walk alone at night is a crucial step that you can take. Before you leave, you can do this by sending them a brief text message outlining your route and destination plans for the night. It can help them reach you more easily in the situations mentioned above. If you end up getting lost, feeling unsafe, or needing someone to come pick you up, your loved ones and the authorities can help you if you’re ever in need.
STEP 3: Listen to your Feelings and Intuition
Listening to your intuition can be an important thing that you could do to stay safe at night when walking alone. If you feel a knot in your stomach or tense around someone — or a particular setting — this could be your intuition telling you that something isn’t right.
Safety at night 1: Listen to the sudden uncomfortable feelings
Other uneasy feelings might include having cold hands and feet, a sudden uncomfortable chill, tingling or a clenching pain in the gut, chest and muscles. It might also include nausea or stomach pain, a sense of being “highly alert”, or having a headache. Recognizing your emotions and listening to your feelings is a big part of listening to your intuition as well; it can be remarkably helpful in decision making. According to research in an article on HealthLine, the emotions that we feel are a part of our intuition, or the gut feelings that we have.
The article also mentioned that brain processes can sometimes manifest as our gut feeling.
In the article on Healthline.com, Crystal Raypol, a writer for HealthLine, says, “Research links these flashes of intuition to certain brain processes, such as evaluating and decoding emotional and other nonverbal cues.”
She explains our brains collect and understand sensory data from the environments that we’re in each day.
She also mentions that an example of this could be noticing two people shouting and pushing each other outside of a store just ahead and making loud noises. Furthermore, Raypol mentioned that you might witness the people doing these things and decide to cross the street based on their actions, while having the uneasy feeling in your stomach. Other uncomfortable feelings might come up for you as well in this scenario.
In addition, Raypol says that gut feelings are like a guide based on the experiences that we’ve had throughout our lives.
Safety at night 2: More examples of intuition based on research
In the article mentioned above, Raypol gives an example of this explanation. “A group of friends ask you to dinner at a popular restaurant. Something tells you not to go, and you pass on the invite.
A few days later, you hear that nearly everyone who went came down with food poisoning. That’s when you remember reading a critique of the restaurant that pointed out several unsanitary food preparation practices.”
In another article, while sharing a quote by psychiatrist Judith Orloff, PhD. On ExperienceLife.com, Courtney Helgoe talks more about using your intuition with the analytical side of your mind. She says, “Because social conditioning helps to create unconscious beliefs, and these beliefs can produce first impressions and snap decisions that are utterly flawed, Orloff suggests that it’s important to check your gut feelings against your rational mind when possible.
Safety at night 3: Simple ways to listen to your warning signs
Helgoe states that there are simple ways to listen to things that feel like warning signals in the short term. She then quotes Orlaff, saying, “If you don’t trust somebody, even if it turns out to be inaccurate, it is something to pay attention to,” she explains.‘ If you’re walking down the street at night and you get the feeling ‘stay away from that person,’ just cross the street.”
These are some warning signs that you can look out for In addition to the potential signs of your intuition or gut your instinct. This information, coupled with situational awareness (information in point four below) can be tremendously helpful if you feel that someone might be dangerous and hiding bad intent.
STEP 4: Situational awareness is a great tool for walking safely at night
Situational awareness is definitely an important part of being safe when you’re walking at night. Situational awareness is a way to use your discernment to be alert and know what’s going on in your environment with the atmosphere and surrounding people. It can be an effective way to help you make critical decisions when you notice something off about someone or when you have an uncomfortable gut feeling.
Walking alone at night: Checking your surroundings
To ensure your safety, always use your device in areas and situations that are deemed safe since looking at your phone for long periods of time can affect your awareness of your surroundings. Periodically scan your surroundings and remain aware of any changes.
Look out for possible open commercial and public buildings that are close by that you can walk into for help or extra protection. It could be a building like a store, a restaurant, a hotel, gas station or bar. If you’re indoors, you would look at the exit doors or know where an authority figure or store clerk is that you can reach out to. You can also look at where your close and trusted friends are as well as the security guards. Also, be wary of restrictions, unusual objects, people, or any other things that might compromise your safety at night. If you have a strong feeling that someone is following you, call 911 immediately.
You can also use reflective surfaces like building windows or mirrors in grocery stores to scan your environment or possibly see someone dangerously headed in your direction who might be out of sight in your direct view. Look out for people who might lurk along the side of the street or in allies. And if you have earbuds, only listen with one of them when you walk for more awareness of your surroundings.
Consider using a small mirror, building windows, windshields, or the reflection or front facing camera on your phone. This will give you time to react to the situation.
If you feel like someone is trailing you, try to alter your speed and slow down for a moment. This can help you check and see if the other person changes their pace and slows down as well. If they do, then it might be an indicator that they’re trying to keep the same pace with you while following you.
Walking alone at night: Warning signs that you’re being followed
This one can be helpful whether you’re walking or driving. If you think you’re being followed, gradually start slowing down. Someone who is just going about his or her business is likely to pass you by, but a person who is following you will slow down as well to match your pace.
Keeping a safe distance (5 to 6 feet or more) between you and the potentially unsafe person gives you time to respond if they try to cause any harm.
These are just a few helpful ways to practice situational awareness when you’re walking at night.
The good news is that there are lots of helpful ways to use situational awareness, and it can be helpful for a variety of situations in life.
In response to this situation where you suspect you’re being followed, there are beneficial steps that you can take. In an article titled “How To Know If you’re Being Followed” Gary Quessenberry states that using surveillance detection routes might be the next helpful step if the person keeps following you.
In the article, he says, “If the person sticks with you after you’ve changed your speed a few times, it’s time to mix up your route. If you’re walking or driving, make a series of turns that will eventually put you back on your original course. This is called a boxing maneuver. Only you know you plan on ending up back in the same spot that you were walking in before. If you complete your surveillance detection route and the person you suspect is still behind you, then chances are you’re being followed.”
To get a better idea of possible stalking by the person or to get to a safe place, you can also walk in such places as another well-lit area, or go into a building like a store or restaurant where other people are . You can also stay there for a moment to see if the person lingers in the area where you are. If you feel unsafe, then it is important to have a protective item with you, reach out to someone nearby for help, and call a friend and the authorities.
STEP 5: Setting boundaries with yourself and others is the way to go
Knowing your own limits and boundaries, and communicating them clearly to others can help you avoid potentially dangerous situations while you’re walking, and in other scenarios as well. This can include things such as limiting your alcohol consumption, avoiding interactions with strangers, and using assertive language when needed.
Safe night out: It’s your right to say no
It can be nerve-wracking and sometimes frightening when you’re walking alone at night and someone tries to talk to you and you aren’t comfortable doing so. One important thing to remind yourself of is that you don’t have to respond or stop for them, even if they pressure you to. If a stranger pulls up in a random car next to you when you’re walking, offering to give you a ride, you can politely say no and keep going. If they insist, then you are not obligated to respond.
If you’re walking in the city, bar hopping, or at a party, then another scenario might be where someone nearby that you know — or don’t know — may offer you a water, juice, or alcohol. And maybe you don’t feel comfortable accepting the drink. Once again, you’re not obligated to accept it, no matter how much the person, or people around you, might pressure you to. You can also bring a bottle of water with you.
Safe night out: Boundaries with alcohol in social settings
And if you accept the drink, pay attention to the person, people, or bartender when your drink is being made and given to you. This can be a helpful step to make sure that a sedative is not added to your beverage. If you have to use the restroom or leave the area, order a new drink once you get back. And if you’re at a party, do your best to avoid grabbing a drink from a communal cooler or punch bowl.
Another great way to ensure that your drink is safe would be to use a “Test My Drink” drink checker. You can find out more about it here.
There have been reported cases where drinks were spiked by strangers, and sometimes acquaintances, in bars and gatherings. The drink checker can be a helpful tool in detecting any unknown objects in your drink.
And if you have alcohol, do your best to drink in moderation. Doing so can help you stay aware of your surroundings.
Setting clear boundaries with yourself and those around you is a crucial to stay safe at night when you’re out and about — and in general.
Knowing these things about your boundaries, understanding what they mean for you, and applying them can be really beneficial for your safety. Not only your safety, but it can also boost your well being and give you more confidence to overcome the uncomfortable or dangerous situations.
STEP 6: Protecting yourself with self defense is important
The best thing that you can do to protect yourself is avoid the altercation if possible. The thought of being attacked can be really scary and frightening. Having basic and comprehensive steps for how you can avoid a possible attacker and defend yourself can help you keep safe. As a side note, knowing how to walk with confidence can be just as important. Having the know-how to defend yourself can go hand in hand with how you show up when you're on your walks. No matter who are, whether you’re were a secret agent in the CIA, or someone simply walking to the store for one or two Snickers bars.
Walking alone at night: Some of the most affective martial arts for self-defense
If someone lunges toward you, then you have to do the best you can to run and keep a safe distance between yourself and the attacker.
Taking martial arts and self-defense classes can be a great way to learn crucial ways to defend yourself against an attacker in a dangerous situation, and possibly even avoid them.
Krav maga is a practical martial art for real-life situations. It involves offensive and defensive techniques, as well as ways to manage the situations to the best of your ability in order to protect yourself from an attacker. It’s used by both civilians and servicemen.
Different techniques for krav maga combat might include escaping arm locks and grips (one of the most important), different kicks for long range combat and punches for mid-range, as well as close-range techniques like mentioned above.
TeachToFight.com has a comprehensive article with helpful techniques like escaping arm locks, getting ahold of the attacker, and more comprehensive information.
You can also look at this article for more close, mid, and long range krav maga techniques.
Walking alone at night: Some of the most affective moves for defending yourself against an attacker
Some of the best self defense moves include escaping an attacker’s grip from the front or back, elbows and knees, front kicks, side kicks and round kicks, chokeholds, palm strikes and tiger claws, and most importantly, running and keeping a distance from the other person.
This image has good visual examples of some of the self defense moves mentioned above.
It’s from another comprehensive self defense article article written by UCDC.edu It can be found here.
In addition to the articles mentioned above, another recommended read for self defense and escaping from dangerous situations is a book called ‘Survive The Unthinkable’ by Tim Larkin. The book has lots of important techniques for having the right mindset, situational awareness, and it also mentions krav maga.
Walking alone at night: Deep breathing is extremely important for self defense and stress management
Breathing properly is a big part of fighting, defense, and managing stressful situations that take a lot of energy. If you’re wanting to how to feel safe when walking alone at night to your destination, deep breathing is one of the best answers. With practice and consistency, it can help to calm the anxiety and racing thoughts that you might be feeling when you go out. According to an article on TacticalArts.com, 4 times 4 breathing is a great technique for stress management and self defense.
How to use the 4 times 4 breathing technique:
1. Breath in through your nose for four seconds: 1, 2, 3, 4.
Hold your breath for four seconds: 1, 2, 3, 4.
3. Breathe out and exhale through your mouth for four seconds: 1, 2, 3, 4.
4. (Optional) Hold your breath again for four seconds: 1, 2, 3, 4.
Make sure you start by practicing the breathing technique in a safe place without any major stressors. You can do this anywhere, such as your home, workplace, or a park. In addition, diaphragmatic breathing is also a great tool that you can use with the four times four breathing technique.
You can also consider taking a class by an instructor who teaches physical self defense. And not only defense, but someone who can also teach you how to get away from a dangerous situation as well and who sees the importance of it just as much as fighting. Learning basic self-defense techniques can give you more confidence and skills that you need in order to protect yourself in case of an emergency.
Like said above, the best way to protect yourself is to learn the best steps that you can take to avoid the altercation if possible. Also, taking martial arts and self-defense classes and learning the most common and important self-defense moves and tactics can help you feel safe at night and can also give you more confident when you go on your walks — and give you more of the ability to fend off an attacker and get to safety.
STEP 7: Personal safety products that can help you get home safely
Walking alone at night can be risky, but with effective personal safety and self-defense products and devices, you can feel a lot safer and hopefully add less risk along with the other tips mentioned above in this post. This section will go over some of the best practices for testing your products, as well as information about some of the best self-defense products you can get for better safety at night.
How to walk safely at night: Planning and testing your safety products before use
Before mentioning the products listed below, it’s important to go over the testing and planning process.
Be sure that you test your personal safety product when you get it to make sure that it’s functional in case you ever find yourself in a high-stress situation. Get familiar with the product and its features, and read the manual, of course. When you have the knowledge that you need, make sure that you test it out in a safe environment.
For example, you can test alarms in quiet areas; you can also test pepper spray on inanimate objects in a safe place where the air is calm. You can also try the SOS feature for your smartphone if there is information that states the product that you have can connect you to emergency services. Most businesses are mindful of the fact that some customers might test their products for assurance of safety, so calling the authorities when testing it might not be an issue. Just be sure to finish the call and let the safety service know that you’re fine when you test it.
You can also have a plan for how you’ll use some of your personal safety products or technology. A great way to use your tech is to let your friends know where you’ll be and what actions they can take if you contact them in an emergency. (check step 1 for planning strategy)
As well, make sure that your personal safety products like your cell phone or alarm are ready to use and easily accessible before you go out. You might not always have time to get to your item through your bag or backpack.
You can do this by making sure that safety apps are open on your phone like the Google Maps app. And be sure that the ‘Location Sharing’ setting is turned on in your phone. Connecting your devices to a keychain can be helpful too.
As a side note, it’s important to be mindful that the technology and items that you have are self defense tools you can use. They’re even more effective with the other tips in this article and the safety measures that you have.
How to walk safely at night: Built in SOS features on your smartphone and more emergency alert tools
Smartphones, built-in safety features, and more SOS tools:
Your iPhone comes with at least two built-in safety features: location sharing with your friends and loved ones, and emergency calling to 911. You can use this feature without having to unlock your phone amid an emergency. To use these built-in safety features on your phone, follow the instructions on this webpage or support.apple.com, or simply search on Google: “Use Emergency SOS on your iPhone.” And if you’re not an iPhone user, don’t fret. You can still use the Google Maps location sharing feature. Android phones have built-in safety features too. Click here.
for in-depth instructions on how you can share the location with your loved ones on your Android phone.
Like mentioned above in this article, Noonlight (available for iPhone and Android) is another great app to have when walking alone at night, and it’s great for personal safety in general; it’s a comprehensive smartphone app recommended for easy access to 911.
The only step that you need to take to alert the authorities with this app is to press your finger on the on-screen button of the app. After you release your finger from the screen, the app will wait 10 seconds for you to enter a PIN code. And even if you can’t answer the call right away after alerting them, they will send the police to your location, regardless. In addition, it also lets you add your friends (even your friends who might not have an iPhone, Android or vice versa) to an emergency contact and location-sharing list.
If you are interested in jewelry, you can look at Invisawear Smart Jewelry. They have jewelry items that double as protective equipment.
Their necklaces and bracelets have an alarm and a button on the back that can you can press discreetly, twice, to let friends and family know where you are. And they include an app with settings that you can toggle to reach your contacts; in addition, they give you the option to contact 9–1–1 (U.S. Only) by sharing your location with 9–1–1 dispatchers during an emergency.
How to walk safely at night: Products for self defense and alerting others nearby
More personal safety and self-defense products you can look at include things like the Michael Josh Outdoor emergency whistle that people can hear from afar. You can also look at a handheld safety and emergency alarm such as the Stinger Personal Safety Alarm, which doubles as a seatbelt cutter and glass breaker. This can be a great safety device to give you more protection while walking or even catching a taxi.
Another handheld alarm that you can look at is the She’s Birdie Personal Safety Alarm. It’s a 130dB siren that comes with a strobe light to help you scare off an attacker in an emergency.
The KOSIN Safe Sound Personal Alarm is a more affordable option. Regardless of the cheaper price, it’s still high quality, and it’s known to be really loud. Three alarms are included and they also have an LED flashlight feature to help you walk safely at night and see better. You can also look at the Bling Sting Mini Safety Alarms. If you have a sense of fashion or you have a teenager, then you might find it interesting. It’s a pretty stylish womens safety device. They have different versions on their website for their alarms with a variety of safety features included. Another great benefit is that they might look like everyday items, which can be helpful for discreetness when you go out.
You can also get a quality pepper spray can. SABRE is one of the pepper spray brands that come to mind. Their spray cans are of high quality and are used by police officers and other personnel.
The SABRE Pepper Spray is an excellent product of the brand. It has 25 powerful 1 second bursts at a 10 foot range. And it also comes with a quick release keychain for fast and easy access during an emergency.
Another option that you can consider is the SABRE Tactical Pepper Spray Gel. It comes with a holster and it has an 18 foot range.
It’s a great option, though the weather is the only thing to consider with this one. Don’t store it in a hot car because it could leak; it can also freeze in cold temperatures. Acceptably warm weather seems like the right scenario for this one.
Again, if you’re more fashioned-minded, you might be interested in checking out BlingSting’s pepper sprays.
Their burst can reach up to 12 feet with maximum strength.
The Atomic Bear Self Defense Tactical Pen is another effective way to protect yourself.
It’s an ink pen that you can use for writing. However, it is more than just a way to apply ink to a piece of paper. You can use the tip of the pen as a durable glass breaker, and for self defense. It also comes with a flash light for night walking to help you see better in dark areas.
You can easily put it in your pocket, purse, or backpack for ease of access, and it looks just like a regular pen (wink).
If you’re going on night walks, the Vipertech Stun Gun may be a valuable piece of extra security that you can use. It definitely can help to ensure that you ‘re protected from danger.
The Vipertech Stun Gun is a tool that can be used if a person lunges toward you, or in the middle of an assault. When an attacker is touched by the stun gun, it will deliver a high voltage shock; it will also cause the person to have a temporary loss of balance and muscle control. They may also get a feeling of confusion, as well as disorientation, which will cause them to fall and they won’t be able to carry on with their aggression.
This is another very helpful product that will give you a chance to flee from their presence and get to safety.
Making a plan, testing your personal safety products before going out, knowing how you’ll use them and choosing the right ones for your needs are crucial steps. Having these items can help you have better safety, fend off an assailant or call for help, along with the other steps mentioned above.
All the tips in this article are very helpful, especially when used in conjunction. Learning the different safety tips for walking alone and implementing them can really help you during your walk at night.
Walking alone at night can be a daunting experience, but these tips can help you overcome some fears and challenges that you might face when you go out. Lots these are easy to implement and others might be a learning process, but some of the most important tools that you have along with these tips are a belief in yourself, your strength, and your perseverance. You got this.
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