When you warm up your car and go back in the house you are leaving yourself open for unwanted entry because people will suspect your door is unlocked which offers unforced entry. You should do 2 things always: 1) lock the door to your house because you have left your garage open and someone could just walk in and surprise you 2) give the car a quick look over prior to getting in it in case someone has crawled in and is waiting there. Of course keep your cell phone out and ready should you need to run and call 911.

You and your loved ones should have a secret code word that only you know. This word would be used if someone has broken in to your car, home, work or wherever and is holding you hostage. If you get on the phone with someone for any reason or need to walk to the door to speak for any reason, you can just talk normally and use the code word. This way you will never make your assailants worried that you gave out information and anger them and your loved ones will know to call 911 immediately.

When you stop your car and you put it in to park, if you want/need to do work in the car, make calls, e-mail etc, and your doors automatically unlock, make sure to re-lock them while you are working. This way someone can't just jump in the car while you are focused on other things and surprise you.

Never leave your children in a running car. It doesn't matter if the windows are down or the A/C is on, it is because someone can get in the car and drive off or your child can get in the driver seat and start to play which could lead to disastrous results. The only time you should leave your children in the car is if there is another responsible adult in there too.

Do not be sympathetic to strangers. Women by nature are always trying to be sympathetic to others, which isn’t always a bad thing but sometimes the bad guy will play on those sympathies. You need to stop that! That is exactly something that a smart criminal would prey on, you being nice. It could lead to you becoming a victim. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man, who always played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. Remember that your awareness and recognition levels have to be on high in all situations.

Always pay attention to who is occupying the cars around yours, what they are doing and where they are located in the vehicle. When approaching your vehicle to get in, take a look at both the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If you see that there is a suspicious looking individual or individuals just sitting there in the car, you should walk back into where you just exited and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. There is most likely nothing to worry about but remember to trust your intuition.

The moment you enter your car when you are in public, make sure to lock the doors and begin to drive. People have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit. Frequently, people will make entries in their checkbooks, make a list, e-mail, maybe make a phone call etc. Do not do this, as it is a terrible habit. It puts you in the proverbial “sitting duck” position. A potential attacker will be watching you, and you have now created a perfect opportunity for him to get in the car and or put a gun to the window, and direct you where to go. To avoid this, do not hesitate to lock and move your vehicle. The call, list or checkbook entry can wait another minute or until you get home.

When coming home at night or really anytime for that matter, back your car into your garage for two reasons. Firstly, you can have your eyes forward on your surroundings to see if anyone is trying to enter your garage while you are backing in. When you pull in face forward you cannot see as well behind you. Secondly, if there is an emergency in your home and you need to get out fast, it is much more efficient and easier to pull straight out of your garage rather then backing out and then putting it in drive. Take the extra few seconds in the beginning rather then at the end. Once you develop the habit, you won’t ever have to think about it again.

Avoid jogging in unusual places or at unusual times and do your best to keep to the streets instead of a path or trail. If you want to jog on a specific trail or path or through a park, make sure that you do it during daylight hours, try to go with someone, bring your cell phone and let someone close to you know you are going, how long you plan to go for and where you are planning to jog. The best thing to do would really be to have a partner with you.

If you travel, always let someone know your flight itinerary and hotel information. It is very important for someone close to you to be aware of your schedule, especially if it involves leaving the city, state or country. There is no harm in letting a few close friends/relatives of your schedule related to the trip and the contact information.