Safety & Security Tips for Pedestrians and Commuters

COMMUTERS & STAFF USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Awareness is your first line of defense – be aware of yourself and your surroundings
Avoid walking alone;
Trust your instincts: if something feels wrong, it most probably is;
Avoid headphones: you need your ears to hear what is going on around you;
When walking alone, don’t talk on your cell phone – you will be distracted and not aware of what is going on around you. Also, keep your phone out of sight;
Strap your bag across your chest and hold it tight, without looking nervous. Keep the zip opening towards you. Remember, backpacks can easily be tampered without you noticing it;
Do not carry too many packages at once – you must always have clear visibility and freedom of motion;
Do not wear expensive jewellery;
Do not carry large amounts of cash and avoid drawing money when walking alone at night;
Stick to well-lit and busy streets. Avoid dark areas, parking lots or alleys;
Don’t wear shoes or clothing that restricts your movements; and
Carry a noisy friend – a whistle! Carry it around your wrist or in your hand, it will not be of any use in your bag.
ATM SECURITY
Use ATMs in well-lit and safe areas.
Don’t allow your card to be removed from your sight.
Don’t accept help from strangers or give out your pin, not even to persons claiming to be bank officials.
Watch out for people standing very close to you and looking over your shoulder as you type in your pin.
Never leave your card in the ATM, if stuck, follow instructions provided on the ATM machine.
When cancelling an ATM card if it has been stuck please use the numbers on the wall in and around the ATM to cancel the card.
Make sure you are not followed AFTER a transaction – After the transaction has been completed please remove printed slip as this will give information on the balance in the account.
DON'T WALK AND TEXT
Protect yourself from a texting while walking injury / crime by following these pedestrian safety tips:
Stay off your phone. Ask yourself if it can wait. Chances are, it can.
If you urgently need to use the phone, find a safe AND secure place to step aside. Complete your call or text before resuming your walk.
Obey the laws. Cross only at crosswalks whenever possible, and obey all traffic signals.
Be attentive. Frequently assess your surroundings, and before crossing the street, make eye contact with drivers so you know you’ve seen each other.
Use helpful technology. Consider software that reads messages aloud and enables voice-to-text typing so you can keep your head up and hands free.
Turn down the volume. Keep your phone’s volume to a reasonable level so you can hear what’s happening around you. Noise-canceling headphones are a definite no-no when walking.
Comentários