If you travel solo, save this reel. If you care about someone who does, share it with them. #travelsafety #hotelsafety #womenssafety #crimeprevention #situationalawareness #safetyeducation #protectyourself #streetsmarts #womenwhotravel #solofemaletraveler #staysafe #safetytips #fbi #personalsafety

Predators love hotels and especially when it comes to women traveling alone. Here's some simple but effective habits to turn the tables in your favor. It starts before you even check in. Park in the front of the hotel where the lights are brighter and the camera coverage is better. Use the main entrance every time you enter or leave the property. Stairwells and side entrances are not your friend. During check-in, guard your private space like you're at an ATM. Desk clerks know not to say your room number out loud, but it's written on your room key envelope so don't let anyone get close enough to see it. All right, let's move to the elevator. Rule number one, don't push your floor button until the door closes. If someone gets on with you, let them select their floor first. Stand near the panel and make a mental note of where the alarm button is. If you feel like someone has followed you to your floor, stay on the elevator and return to the lobby. When you get to your room, do a quick scan to make sure nobody's followed you. The moment you're inside, put out the do-not-disturb sign and lock the door. Use the next two or three minutes to run a security suite. Check hiding spots like closets in behind curtains, inspect door locks, dead bolts, and the people to make sure they haven't been tampered with. If you want to go full James Bond here, there are affordable devices like this that will scan for radio frequencies, magnets, and infrared, all of which are used in spy cameras and hidden microphones. Finally, before you turn in for the night, consider putting a wedge alarm under the door. These are available on Amazon. They're inexpensive, they're loud, and they will scare the crap out of someone trying to sneak into your room during the night. So let's say you, savvy travelers, share your favorite safety tips in the comments. Follow me here at Steve Lazarusbooks.com for more.