Safety Tips For Motorists

The following safety tips are designed to reduce a person's vulnerability to criminal activity while using a motor vehicle:

Maintain awareness of your surroundings when entering, exiting, and operating your vehicle. Awareness enables you to detect potential threats and take action to avoid or deal with them. Be especially observant at red lights, in parking lots, and at crosswalks.

When approaching your parked vehicle visually check the area around the vehicle for any suspicious person or activity. If you observe anything suspicious walk directly to a location where there are other people and notify the OU HSC Police. There are numerous emergency telephones in the parking lots.

Have your keys ready when approaching your vehicle to reduce the time needed to enter. Visually check the interior before entering.

When operating your vehicle keep the doors locked and the window rolled up. Avoid traveling alone at night, if at all possible.

Any valuables in your vehicle should be carried in the trunk or otherwise kept out of sight.

When stopped at traffic lights or in traffic, allow space between you and the vehicle in front of you so that you can drive away if necessary.

If someone approaches your vehicle and attempts to enter, blow your horn to attract attention and drive away. If the person stands in the path of your vehicle drive away slowly to compel them to move.

Do not open your window if someone approaches your vehicle to ask for directions, the time, etc. Keep the door(s) locked.

Do not pick up hitchhikers!

If your vehicle becomes disabled and help is not within walking distance, stay in the vehicle with doors locked and windows rolled up. Activate your hazard lights and await a police patrol. If someone stops to assist you, tell them (through the closed window) to call the OU HSC Police . Do not exit the vehicle until a uniformed officer in a marked patrol vehicle arrives.

If you are confronted by an armed assailant that has the capability of using a weapon against you, the decision to comply or resist is a personal decision based on the circumstances.