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You should make sure you are standing along a safe portion of road, as far back from the traveled portion of the road as possible (on the unimproved portion of the road shoulder). Make sure that you are visible to drivers from a good distance (100 meters or more is ideal) to allow them time to 1) decide if they want to pick you up and 2) safely pull to the side of the road. Wear visible clothes, also while walking on the road!
Sometimes, especially but not exclusively [[hitchhiking at night|at night]], drivers will [[picking up hitchhikers|pick up a hitchhiker]] because they are tired and sleepy, but must get to their destination on time. Make sure you never fall asleep in someone's car if you are suspecting this might be the case. Even if you can't find a conversation topic, stay alert. If you have a driving license; you might indicate this to your driver; he or she may be happy to let you drive.
The hitchhiker should see theirself as an agent of road safety. Only one study has ever been made on the subject of hitchhiking's impact on road safety, and it appears that it has no negative impact, if not positive. It implies that the hitchhiker should stay safe; be sure they can be seen, especially at night; remind the driver of the speed limits; and be willing to cooperate with all professionals of the road.
* [[Hitchhiking at night]] is more dangerous than at daytime.
=== (Anti) Social tips===
* Think positive and you will attract positive.
* Always trust your instincts. But ''don't panic''!
* Try to be good conversation for the driver for tips see [[etiquette]]
* Hitchhike with someone you know. On hitchhike forums (such as at [http://couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=12 the CS group], [http://www.jayride.co.nz Jayride] for [[New Zealand|NZ]] or [http://www.digihitch.com/ DigiHitch] for [[North America]] you can find other hitchhikers.
=== Stuff safety ===
* Wear your '''most valuable small stuff on your body''': passport, wallet, money, mobile phone. This way you will keep these items in case you should abandon your bag.
* Remember that your backpack is the last one to enter the car and the first one to leave it. Also avoid putting it into the trunk if you are hiking alone, or if the driver has an opportunity to drive away with your luggage - though sometimes this is simply not an option. It's a good idea to keep the door open while you get your bag from the trunk. It's actually much more likely a hitchhiker ''forgetting their own bag'' or other objects than theft.
* Keep your backpack close to you (i.e. on your lap), so you can grab it if you need to get out quickly.
=== Road safety ===
* Wear well visible [[appearance|clothes]], stand at a safe spot, be careful while walking on the road.
* If it starts raining, standing under a tree is an option. <!-- ?? -->
* Aim to leave the vehicle at a safe spot.
== Choose your drivers ==
It is preferable to choose your drivers. You can ask for rides at [[petrol stationhitchhiking|petrol stations]]s or truck stops. Briefly profile people by their appearance and talk to folks that seem safe/interesting. But always remember that appearances do not guarantee safety.
One of the safest ones to get a lift from is the truck drivers. You sit far away from the driver. You are always able to open the door if needed (just don't jump while the truck is moving if you like your life moving again). Big trucks in [[Western Europe]] anyway also have a sensor on their trucks that let their boss know exactly where they are. Going off the road or stopping for some minutes and the boss will be all over the case, calling on the phone...
* [[Where to hitchhike]]
* [[Picking up hitchhikers]], for drivers
* [[One page guide to safe hitchhiking|Safety pdf]] - a project to create a one-page guide to safe hitchhiking
* [http://girls.hitchbase.com Hitchhiking as a female] - Guide
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