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The hitchhiker Hitchhikers should see theirself themselves as an agent agents 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.
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Here are four quick tips which will make you safer:
* Ask for rides at gas stations instead of signaling signalling at the roadside.
* Trust your instincts.
* Refuse rides from [http://enwp.org/Driving_under_the_influence impaired drivers].
[[File:Bundespolizei AT Warnweste rueckenansicht.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Police safety vest. Consider wearing something similar at night (well, probably without the Polizei text).]]
You should make sure you are standing along a safe portion of road, as far back from the traveled travelled 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 bright, visible clothes, especially while walking on the road! Consider wearing a bright reflecting safety vest. At night time use reflectors and carry a small torch. You can purchase these often at gas stations and supermarkets. Carry these in your backback backpack at all times: even if you are not planning to hitchhike during the darkness. Make sure you are visible from both sides. Attach reflectors to your backback backpack for example.
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.
== Awareness ==
Awareness on the part of a hitchhiker will keep him or her from accepting dangerous rides- for example, a driver traveling travelling under the influence of [[alcohol]] or narcotics. Examine the driver and vehicle. If there are signs of intoxication (slurred or erratic speech, no eye contact, open alcohol containers) do NOT get in the vehicle. Refuse the ride.
Talk to the driver before getting in the car! This way you make sure the ride offered is one that you would like to take, and that it will end at a safe spot to stop. Ask the driver before getting in their car: Where are you going? Can you drop me off at a service area or other safe place near your destination? A rhetoric question like "Are you going north" and the drivers reaction can give you some information about him or her. Dropping humour into your brief conversation is a good way of gauging a persons personality aswellas well. '''Trust your instincts!''' If you do not feel comfortable accepting the ride, thank the driver and say no. Walk away.
== [[Women hitchhiking]] ==
* 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/ DigiHitchDigihitch] for [[North America]] you can find other hitchhikers.
* It might a good idea to get yourself some [[pepper spray]], just in case. But it can be illegal to carry in some parts of the world so be aware. Also it might not be a good idea to use in a closed space as you'd get a good dose of pepper yourself. There are also canisters of ''pepper gel'' which emit a stream of gel instead of a spray mist, which could save you in enclosed spaces.
Don't use pepperspray pepper spray while the car is in motion. Blinding the driver will probably result in a crash.
=== Stuff 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...
This is not always the case however. In [[Australia]], Truckies truck drivers drive long distances on one lane highways and are often overworked. This can lead to dangerous driving conditions and bad experiences.
== Leaving the vehicle early ==
* Cause a (small) accident
* Call emergency number ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/112_%28emergency_telephone_number%29 112] in EU, 911 in US, 000 in Australia)
* Prepare to loosen your seatbelt, and wait untill until the driver has to stop at a red light or stop sign. When the driver stops the car slide your belt off and open the door in one motion and get you and your pack out before they have any idea what you're doing.
* As an emergency safety precaution, carry a roll of toilet paper and a lighter. In the event that you feel uncomfortable and the driver refuses to stop, light the toilet paper and throw it into the back seat. The smoke and fire will encourage the driver to stop and/or alert other cars on the road.
* A helpful trick if you just have a bad feeling about a ride, but not really a reason to scream for help (yet): Pretend to feel sick and tell your ride to stop immediately because otherwise you might ruin his car... when they stop, jump out of the car with your backpack, tell them not to wait and head away from the road until they're gone.
