It doesn’t matter where we come from and where we live, we all want our neighborhoods to be safe for everyone. This means that teenagers can walk home in the evening and children can play freely on the streets without worrying that something bad is going to happen. In addition to always being aware of your environment and being on the lookout for anything suspicious, society, as well as individuals, can do a lot to improve the safety of their own neighborhoods.
Mind your home(s)
The first thing you should do is pay attention to your home, but also to the home of other people around you. Are you sure that your smoke alarms are in order? Do you double-check to make sure all your doors and windows are locked in the evening or when you’re leaving your home? Do you have a security alarm or video surveillance? When you’re sure that you’ve done everything in your power to secure your home, talk to your neighbors and see if they need help with some of these things. Perhaps your entire community could help one struggling family to improve their safety.
Stay alert
Francis Bacon said that knowledge is power, and the saying has been proven true a lot of times. You can keep up with crime trends in the area you live in by reading newspapers, watching the news, and using websites such as CrimeReports to help you stay alert and be one step ahead of criminals. There are several such websites and they collect crime data that the police puts in their reports and take into account news accounts as well.
Road safety
Roads can be very dangerous for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike, especially if there aren’t enough signs to warn everyone what to expect ahead. You should walk around and pay special attention to road signs to see if they correspond with what’s really going on. Are they ‘work ahead’ signs to warn drivers that there are concrete road barriers ahead, are stop signs clearly visible or are they obscured by trees and bushes, and most importantly, are there enough safe crossroads so children can walk from one side of the road to the other. If you notice any problems, you should always alarm the authorities so they can sort them out.
Security cameras
Sadly, even with all the hard work, in some areas crime is on the rise and poses a huge problem for everyone in the community. Even if things are fine at the moment, it doesn’t mean the situation won’t change. You can all pool resources together and purchase several high-definition surveillance cameras. You don’t have to buy them for your home, but for the community: place them at the entrance to your neighborhood and you’ll be able to track cars that come by. These cameras are able to track the day, time, as well as the license plate of any car that enters the neighborhood, so even in case of trouble, you have something to give to the authorities.
Rent your parking space
A great number of communities consist of people who happen to work away from home and have to commute to and from work every day. As a result, most driveways and streets happen to be empty of cars and relatively free of pedestrian traffic during the day. This is what makes them a perfect target for burglars who are always looking for quiet and vacant streets because the chances to be seen are lower. During the day, you can rent out your driveway which will result in increased foot traffic in front of your home and it will scare off burglars because they will believe that there’s somebody home. If you charge some money, you will even ear something as an added bonus.
Community watch
Last but not least, there should always be a community watch in the neighborhood so you know you can rely on others to keep a watchful eye on things even if you aren’t around. By involving the entire community, you will ensure that everyone does everything they can to improve neighborhood security. What is more, it’s a simple and effective way for everyone to get to know each other better and to be united in a single goal – safety. You can also contact your local police authority as they usually have useful tips to offer to people who want to establish a neighborhood watch.
We are all aware that the society we live in today isn’t the safest one, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything we could do. Even though none of us can single-handedly turn high-risk areas into oases of peace and serenity, there is still much that we as individuals and we as a society can do to ensure that our neighborhoods are safe for everyone.
