Parking Garage Safety
9 Tips to Stay Safe
Parking garages, particularly in bad areas, at night, or when you’re alone, can be a dangerous place. In fact, Liability Consultants Inc found over a third of their cases involving rape, assault, robbery, and murder occurred in a parking lot or garage. Another 1 in 10 property crimes occur there as well. The nature of parking garages makes them an attractive target. Low light, multiple exits, and spotty security camera coverage, all contribute to their appeal for those with ill intent.
We’ve all seen the stories of people being attacked in parking garages, like this one in Colorado or this one in New York. So what’s the best way to stay safe when using these handy, but potentially dangerous, buildings?
Here’s a few tips to keep in mind:
- Location: Look for a well lit area, preferably close to any security cameras to park. Also try to park as close to an elevator or exit as you can, limiting the time you spend walking through the garage.
- Awareness: Avoid looking down at your phone, keep your head up and scan the area.
- Confidence: Stand tall, take purposeful steps, and be prepared to act. Do you look like a victim or a fighter?
- Safety in Numbers: Being in a pair or a group improves your safety instantly, particularly at night or in remote parking locations.
- Think Ahead: Walk with your keys out to avoid rummaging through your pocket or purse when you get to your vehicle. Before entering or unlocking the vehicle look around and in the back seat to make sure no one is there. Once you enter the vehicle lock the doors immediately.
- Travel Light: Avoid walking with your arms full, it makes you an easy target. If you’re going shopping or traveling with children, consider asking a friend to join you.
- Practice: Your body is the last line of defense you have. Consider practicing self defense moves. In this video, Autumn Parkin demonstrates how to protect yourself if someone attacks you while you’re placing something in the back seat. Watching videos like these can help you be prepared to defend yourself. Check out our blog post on self defense moves for more.
- Arm Yourself: Carry a self defense tool and know how to use it. Keep your device on your person or in an easily accessible location. If you have to pull out your weapon, tell the assailant you are armed and you WILL use force.
- Training: The key to properly defending yourself is training. High stress situations means there’s no time to think, only react. So whether you’re practicing self defense moves daily, or at the range training with your HERO™ 2020, take it seriously. The muscle memory you build could save your life.
The first step to self defense is knowing it could happen to you. The second is learning to avoid danger before you encounter it. Understanding the hazards of parking garages doesn’t mean you have to stop using them, but it should encourage you to practice safe habits.
When you’re properly prepared, every place is a little less dangerous. At HERO™ we build products to keep you safe. Compact, reliable, and designed to go anywhere you do, our defense tools provide the latest in self defense technology. At work, at play, and everywhere between, bring a HERO™.
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