Self Defense Products for Working Late

Working Late Means Planning Your Commute Home

If your shift ends after dark, the walk to your car or the wait for a bus is part of the job whether you think about it or not. A little planning ahead makes that part of the day a lot less risky.

Have Something With You, Not Buried in a Bag

Pepper spray or a personal alarm only helps if you can reach it fast. Clip it to your keys or keep it in a jacket pocket, not at the bottom of a purse or backpack. If you have to dig for it, it is not doing its job.

Tell Someone Your Schedule

A coworker, a roommate, or a family member knowing when you get off and how long your commute usually takes is a simple safety net. If something is wrong, someone notices sooner.

Park or Wait Somewhere Well Lit

If you drive, try to park under a light, not in the far, dark corner of the lot, even if it means walking a little farther from the door. If you take the bus or train, wait near other people and near light instead of alone at the far end of the platform.

Trust the Uneasy Feeling

If someone on your route makes you uncomfortable, you do not need a specific reason to move away, change seats, or walk back inside your workplace until they are gone. Most people who work late shifts have had at least one moment like this, and the safest response is almost always to put distance between yourself and the situation rather than to try to handle it head on.

A personal alarm, a stun gun, or pepper spray will not fix every situation, but having one within reach gives you an option besides just hoping nothing happens.