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You should make sure you are standing along a safe portion of the road, as far back from the 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.

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 driver's reaction can give you some information about him or her. Dropping humour into your brief conversation is a good way of gauging a persons person's personality as well. '''Trust your instincts!''' If you do not feel comfortable accepting the ride, thank the driver and say no. Walk away.

For women, hitchhiking seems to be more riskyriskier. But it is not really. Many men are reporting the same degree of violation as women. If most reported cases of murder or rape of hitchhikers involve women hitchhiking alone, it is because men are less likely to report rapes , and murders are not getting the label of "hitch-hiking-murders" as often with male victims. <!--- I think we should link to [[Pippa]] here :( ~~~~ -->

Read more at the Hitchwiki page on [[Women hitchhiking|Female Hitchhikers]], as well as this guide for Women hitchhikers at [http://girls.hitchbase.com girls.hitchbase.com].

* Always trust your instincts. But ''donDon't panic''!* Try to be Keep up a good conversation for with the driver for tips see . See [[etiquette]].* Hitchhike with someone you know. On hitchhike forums (such as at [httphttps://couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=12 the CS group], or [http://www.jayride.co.nz Jayride] for [[New Zealand|NZ]] 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.

* 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. <!-- ?? -->

*Do not hitchhike on the highways in western countries. People will not notice you, thus they will not pick you up and there have been accidents. It is very dangerous and often illegal, too.

This is not always the case , however. In [[Australia]], truck drivers drive long distances on one lane highways and are often overworked. This can lead to dangerous driving conditions and bad experiences.

The climate poses an entirely separate danger to hitch hikershitchhikers. As a hitch hiker hitchhiker you may find yourself in the situation of being stuck in an extremely hot or cold place, both of which are potentially fatal if not dealt with appropriately.

Driving in the cold can be particularly risky, let alone hitch hikinghitchhiking. If travelling a long distance, it is advisable to have a backup plan, to avoid being stuck outside at night. If there is a significant chance of being stuck outdoors for a long time, then you must take precautions. Having plenty of warm clothes, hat, gloves and thick boots are a must for the day timedaytime. If there is a risk of being stuck outside at night, try finding a host, either on the internet prior to leaving, or else at a hostel if there is one. You should bring money with you for emergencies. If you absolutely must sleep outside, then you will need to acquire a heavy sleeping bag - a 5 season sleeping bag is not too expensive. Be sure to set up camp in a covered area - such as in a forest or under a shelter, and make sure it is sheltered from the wind. A gas lamp will also assist in heating you up. You might want to learn how to start a fire

The extreme heat poses a great risk of dehydration and sun stroke sunstroke in the summer months in many countries in the world. You absolutely must bring plenty of drinking water. Try to have no less than 4L of water with you per day. If there is a risk of being stuck in direct sunlight for a long time, bring sun screensunscreen, and perhaps also an umbrella, particularly if there are not many trees around.