Carpark Safety for Parents - Family - Parenting

Carpark Safety for Parents

Many self defence courses talk about the unlikely bogeymen or aggressor jumping out of dark alleyways to get you while you are at your most vulnerable. The only truth there is that possible attacks indeed happen when parents are at their most vulnerable. For parents one possible scenario where this might occur is at the supermarket, between the wheeling of your groceries and child while exiting, and loading them both into your car.

The opportunity of the crime presents itself with a harried and distracted parent. At most other times, the same parent would be more aware, and that alertness will greatly reduce the likelihood of the parent being victimised in a carpark. So whenever you are exiting a public area trafficked by many people, and entering a less trafficked area (the carpark), be extremely vigilant to your surroundings.

Here are some tips to keep your child safe in a carpark that parents might use to help reduce chances of their being victimised:

1. Parents must always have keys ready to open the car before you get to the car. No fumbling is accepted. On leaving the carpark, you must always have your keys on your body. Not on the hood. Not on the bonnet. And definitely not in one of your shopping bags.

2. Keys at the ready makes for a great makeshift weapon. The point of one key used as a striking tool reduces the area of impact and creates much more damage on an attacker. This type of weapon reduces the striking area, increasing the pressure applied by the striking force exponentially. Also aim for vulnerable spots. Doesn't take much to pop that eye or puncture skin around the neck. Problem with hurting an opponent? Or do you have a problem ensuring child safety?

3. Always get your child into the car before your groceries; never let your child sit in the shopping cart while you unload. The shopping cart may roll away onto the path of another car.

4. While strapping your child into the car, look around and be prepared to back off, slam and lock door to keep your car between any potential assailant and your child. As a side note, if the weather is hot, you should always wind down all the windows so that the interior of the car is kept relatively cool.

5. If you think you will not be able to defend yourself, that your car will be driven away with your child in it, be prepared to throw your keys as far away as possible. Throwing your keys away means your assailant will not be able to take possession of your car with your child in it.

6. While strapping your child into the car, make sure to stand with one foot placed closer to the car, and the other foot holding the car door opened. This way if the car door is kicked into you, the probability that you will be incapacitated by the pain will be minimised.

7. Be prepared to scream loudly in order to attract attention. No point in trying to rely on physical defence only to be winded by a blow to the gut or throat or face.

8. When under duress OR IF IN DOUBT be prepared to attack first and to attack hard. If the assailant is ready to harm or rob you, chances are it'll take a lot to dissuade him.

9. If you have secured your vehicle and are forced to defend yourself, place yourself in a defensible location. It's hard to perform a multiple attack if the person is between two cars. So get between two cars and defend yourself from there.

10. If you haven't secured your vehicle and are forced to defend yourself, don't leave your vehicle if your child is strapped in it. Get your child out if you have to. Or get back into the vehicle and lock yourself in.

11. You might try to escape by going under a parked vehicle.

12. You may try to equip yourself with a weapon if you have given up your keys - a car's antenna or windshield wiper may form convenient hand held weapons.

13. If all fails make sure you do not get pulled back into the vehicle and forced to drive off. FBI stats say there is little chance for survival in such a situation.

Just like self defence against home invasion, your car can be used for or against you.

Make sure you are prepared to make the right decision in order for you to reduce your risks and increase your chances of survival. It is impossible to give you exact tips that might fit your situation. One example of quick thinking is of a survivor telling how she decided to drive her car into the supermarket wall in order to ensure her car-jacking assailant didn't force her to drive to some secluded spot in order to rape and/or kill her.

The takeaway of that lesson is to maintain awareness and quick thinking in any situation where you and your child might face imminent danger.

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