Safety and security

Safety and security is an important topic for nomads. To travel comfortably and safely, you'll need to feel safe and actually be safe, which involves making choices and taking steps to reduce your risk. There are dangers no matter what type of life you lead, and life on the road isn't inherently more dangerous than one in a sticks-and-bricks residence. Notably, living in your vehicle means that you can relocate yourself away from most dangers most of the time, and simply stay away from dangerous areas and situations in the first place. Statistically, you are probably at a greater risk of injury or death simply from driving your vehicle than any other nomadic living activity.

Feeling safe isn't the same thing as being safe. Feeling scared doesn't necessarily mean you are in danger. It means pay attention. No one but you can address whether or not you feel safe. That occurs solely between your ears, and can gut your life.

Protecting yourself

• A charged phone with coverage in the area may be the most important piece of safety equipment. Remember though that "when seconds count, the police are minutes away," and in rural areas, they could be an hour away or more.
• Maintain situational awareness: who and what is in the area that may be a threat?
• Areas of lower population density are safer from violent crime than cities. Lowest violent crime rate would be boondocking out on your own somewhere. Caveat: property crime rates increase in rural/underpopulated areas. It is unclear if this pattern extends to remote camping areas.
• Security cameras can provide a view of the outside (or even inside) of your vehicle.
• When parked, you may be able to secure your front doors by running your seat belt through door handles (depending on your vehicle's handle design) and buckling them or attaching them together. This prevents the door from opening even if the lock is popped from the outside. You can also buy ratchet straps to use instead of seat belts. Be sure you can remove them quickly in case of emergency.
• Don't post anything (photos, video, text, etc.) on the public internet about where you are until after you have left that location. Internet "sleuths" are really good about tracking down a location from clues in the background, etc.
• If people can see into your vehicle, invest in window coverings or heavy window tint.
• If you are a solo female, consider keeping any visible décor either neutral or conventionally masculine in appearance, to reduce the chance of assailants targeting you. (For example, someone may notice your vehicle, think "a young woman sleeps here," and return later.)
• Consider adding window security film to your vehicle's windows. This would slow or stop any potential window break-ins.

Physical self-defense

• Firearms - Where legal, consider obtaining a carry license if you are so inclined, and have the discipline to know and follow relevant laws. If you have never owned or shot a gun before, this probably isn't the time to get one unless you commit to formal training. Note that laws vary from place to place, and life on the road often involves moving from place to place, so it can get complicated!
• Non-lethal defense: pepper spray, air horn alarms, etc.
• Dogs - Even a small dog works as an alarm. A large trained dog can be a physical deterrent.

Non-human threats

• Ensure that you have safety equipment on board, like a fire extinguisher, smoke detector, and carbon monoxide detector.
• Choose a vehicle with an emergency exit, or add it yourself. In a serious situation like a crash, fire, or even someone breaking into your van while you are inside, a second way to escape can be a lifesaver.
• If your water sources won't always be guaranteed clean, be sure you know everything you need to about water purification and water sanitization.
• When in nature, be aware of where you put your hands and feet: know what dangerous insects, snakes, and plants live in the area.
• Store, cook, and eat food in a safe manner in bear country.
• You don't have to be a meteorologist or storm chaser, but a basic awareness of upcoming weather and flood/fire conditions is important. Regularly check the multi-day forecast in your area. If you stay in one area, you may want to leverage the community's text/email/phone alert system, or configure a weather radio to receive alerts. In rural areas during fire season, watch for smoke plumes that could indicate wildfire.
• Keep up on your vehicle maintenance to ensure safe driving, and learn how to make basic repairs.

Safety while parked

Parking in populated areas

• When finding a place to park, choose smaller urban communities: lower crime rates and more upscale neighborhoods.
• Park under street lights (this can also help with stealth since light escaping from inside your vehicle will be less visible).
• Avoid neighborhoods where there are bars on the windows or other signs of crime.
• When parking on the street, park ahead of other parked vehicles. This will limit injury to you and damage to your vehicle in case a driver crashes into parked vehicles, since they'll hit other vehicles first. If your bed is oriented side-to-side, sleep with your head on the curb side to limit injury from vehicles hitting your parked vehicle.

Parking in unpopulated areas

Parking in the California desert.

• In desert areas, avoid camping in or beyond desert washes. The water can rise suddenly in your camp, or block egress from the camp. Carry extra food and water in case water or mud makes it impossible to get back to town. It will dry out in a day or two.
• Avoid camping in low areas where runoff might collect from higher ground, or near streams and rivers which may flood.
• If you are parking in an area where hunting is allowed, know when the hunting seasons begin and end. Any time you are away from your vehicle during the hunting season in these locations, wear a "hunter orange" jacket or shirt so you can be seen by hunters. If you have dogs, get them an orange vest too!

Be ready to leave

• Choose a vehicle with passthrough, so you can drive away without exiting your vehicle.
• Park in such a way that you can pull out without backing.
• Park where it is difficult to block you in.
• Be aware of multiple exit routes if your primary exit is blocked.
• When parked, leave the driver seat empty so that you can get in it without delay.
• Put your keys where you can find them easily and always in the same place.
• If you get The Knock and are asked to move, move right away.
• When camping or boondocking, be ready to break camp at a moment's notice if needed. This means deploying nothing that requires work before leaving: awnings, lawn chairs, grills, tilted or portable panels. Or at least being willing to abandon items that do not prevent your departure.
• Be careful about alcohol and drug use in your vehicle if you're parked anywhere you might be asked to leave and you're the only driver. Police aren't likely to ask you to move along if they can tell that you aren't safe to drive.

Protecting your pets

If you have pets ...

This article is incomplete or needs additional work. You can help edit this wiki to improve it!

Protecting your vehicle

Keeping your vehicle safe from theft can be a challenge.

• Kill switches - prevent your vehicle from being driven away.
• When choosing a vehicle, one that looks old and inexpensive is much less likely to be stolen.
• If you have business names on your vehicle, or otherwise look like a commercial vehicle, you may be targeted for theft if people believe that valuable tools, equipment, or products are inside.
• If in a restaurant, etc., sit where you can see the van from your table.
• Consider getting AirTags or similar GPS tracking devices for your vehicle or trailer.
• Be sure you have adequate insurance to cover a loss.

Protecting your belongings

To reduce the chance of a smash-and-grab theft, make sure your belongings aren't visible through the windows if possible, especially in populated or high-crime areas. Having tinted windows and a bulkhead or privacy curtain may help. If your vehicle has a trunk, put valuable items there instead of in the passenger compartment. If space is very limited, consider getting a sturdy lockable rooftop carrier that is more difficult to get into than smashing a window.

Hidden compartments

Hidden compartments can be an good way to reduce your losses of valuable items if someone breaks into your vehicle. Time is one of the most valuable resources of a thief, so most things that will be stolen will be in plain view.  Continue reading …

Safes

Safes are a valuable addition to your vehicle when living nomadically. They can protect your most valuable possessions in case of a break-in, since most thieves won't have the time to get into your safe and will instead just take the most accessible things before leaving. You will probably want to place your safe in a hidden location, possibly even a hidden compartment, to make it less obvious that there are things worth protecting inside your vehicle.  Continue reading …

Resources

	Resource	Description
	CrimeGrade.org	Crime heatmap for U.S. cities, states, and counties.
	Safe Drives	A women-only private Facebook group offering safe park up options for female travellers and their companions on the road.
	Risky truck stops	"Do not stop" list by L Brands Asset Protection advising truck drivers on truck stops to avoid due to high theft.
	Safety forum	A sub-forum of VanLivingForum.com
	Search forums and groups	Search van life discussion groups for "safety and security"
	Search related sites	Search van life sites for "safety and security"
	Search NomadLife.wiki	Search other pages on this wiki for "safety and security"

Some or all of the content on this page was originally sourced from this page on RVWiki