Last week, I wrote a post about people sharing safety tips — both basic and genius — that EVERYONE should know about. Our very own BuzzFeed Community came through with some examples of their own, and they're also super useful.
Here's some of what they said:
Obviously, BuzzFeed can't verify these tips 100%, so apply them to your life at your own risk.
1. "Don't leave loose objects in your car while driving. Put them in the trunk! When the car is moving, everything in the car is moving at the same speed. If you need to stop suddenly, or get in an accident, you will have literal projectiles flying around."
2. "When walking around a blind corner in public, walk on the outside. Especially later at night. It's saved me a few times."
3. "I'm a female here, who travels solo regularly for work. Hotels should be putting solo women not on the ground floor or in a room easily accessible from the outside. I am careful that no one in the lobby hears my room number when I'm checking in (hotel staff can be overly loud on this). I also decline housekeeping until I check out."
4. "When I wear a purse and a jacket out in public, I put my purse on first and then my jacket, so if somebody tries they're just gonna end up pulling me along with them. Trust me, ain't nobody wanna kidnap me."
5. "Obvious one, but still important: Always lock your doors. Car, house, etc. It surprises me how many people don't do this."
6. "Chew your food carefully. Take smaller bites. No talking or walking around with food in your mouth, especially for children. Doesn’t take much to start choking."
7. "When you get into your car, lock it right away. If someone is following you, it is much harder for them to get in."
8. "Never go with an assailant to Place B — even if there’s a gun to your head. The odds are they won’t shoot or hurt you in Place A (assuming you’ve been attacked in a public place), and whatever could happen at Place B is way worse. If you can’t run away, STAND YOUR GROUND!"
9. "When flying, count how many rows you are from an emergency exit behind and in front of you. If there is a situation that you cannot see clearly, you can count the seats to help you find the exit."
10. "Never ride your bike into traffic; ride with traffic — not the opposite direction of it into oncoming cars. If you collide with a car when you're heading toward it, it is your speed, PLUS their speed to equal the impact. If you were going in the same direction, it's minus."
11. "If your car breaks down on the side of the highway, if possible, get out of the car quickly and move to a location well off the road (in the direction that a fast-moving car rear-ending yours won't push the car into you) before calling anyone. If you need to stay in your car, keep your seat belt on! I know someone who lost a sibling because a drunk driver rear-ended the car they were sitting in on the shoulder waiting for a tow truck at night (drunk drivers tend to veer toward the light), and someone else who ended up paralyzed from the neck down because it was icy and someone slid into them while they were looking under the hood of their car."
12. "I was told by a retired military sniper that if you’re ever in an active shooter situation and the gun is pointed at you, throwing anything at the gunman will give you a chance to escape. Most of the people doing these are not trained shooters, and any little distraction will affect their ability to aim."
13. "Close your bedroom door at night before you go to sleep. In the event of a fire, it can give you a lot more time to be able to do something beneficial to survival. There are quite a lot of firefighting news videos out there with demos of how big of a deal this is. Google 'Close before you doze.'"
14. "If you drive a newer car and it has keyless ignition (i.e., proximity key), you need to bring the fob out of the car with you when you pump gas. Way too many people leave it inside the car because it's easier, but it's an invitation for someone to hop in the driver's seat and take off."
15. "Make sure your smoke alarms are functioning (and have working batteries if they need them). Vacuum smoke alarms because otherwise dust accumulation can muck up their sensors and cause them to trigger when there is no fire."
16. "NEVER stop on the railroad tracks if there's one near a traffic light! There are too many people who thoughtlessly do that. Also, if your vehicle stalls on the tracks while crossing, get yourself out immediately!"
Did they miss any? Let us know some of your safety tips in the comments below!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.