Top 10 Safety Tips
Trust your instincts. If someone makes you scared or uncomfortable, get away as fast as you can and TELL a trusted adult. You deserve to feel safe and someone will help you.
Always
tell a family member or other adult in charge where you will be
at all times and when you will be home. Never play in parks, malls, or video arcades by
yourself.
Never
hitchhike or go anywhere with someone your parents didn't tell you to. Have a
SECRET WORD known ONLY to family members in case of an emergency. If someone
tries to pick you up, they MUST know the secret word. Note: Do not use birthdays,
nicknames, Super Heroes, etc.
BUDDY
SYSTEM: Never go anywhere alone. Walk in well-lit areas and never take shortcuts.
If you ride your bicycle to school, always ride with a friend. Follow all the bicycle
rules and stay on well-lit roads.
Never
accept money or gifts from anyone without your parents' permission.
If an adult
approaches you for help or directions, remember grownups that need help should not be
asking children for help; they should be asking other adults. Say NO, then GO, and
TELL a trusted adult like your parents or teacher.
Leave
items and clothing with your name on them at home. If someone you don't know
calls out your name, don't be fooled or confused.
If
you go home alone after school, CHECK to see that everything is okay before you
go into the house. Once you are inside, call one of your parents to let them know that you
are all right. Keep the door locked, don't open it for anyone unless your
parents have said it's ok, & don't tell anyone that you are home alone.
Have a neighbor or trusted adult that you can call if you're scared or if there's an
emergency.
If
someone follows you, get away from him or her as quickly as you can, and if they
follow you in their car, turn around and go in the other direction. If someone tries to
take you somewhere, quickly try to get away and yell and scream.
Remember
the word S.K.Y. which stands for SCREAM - KICK - YELL.
IMPORTANT: Scream "FIRE….THIS IS NOT MY
MOM OR DAD…CALL 9-1-1" -- "FIRE" gets more people's attention than
"HELP" -- many kids scream "help" in play.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GROW UP SAFE!