Many more of us are now using public transport as an alternative method of transport. Although it is a relatively safe way to travel, you should remember that there are some simple safety strategies that you can adopt to make your journey safer.
Safety Tips
- Sit as close to the driver or guard as possible - especially at night.
- Stay alert - be aware of the people around you.
- Immediately inform the driver of any threatening or harassing passengers.
- Try not to become isolated.
- If you believe your safety is being compromised by the driver or guard - immediately inform either Transperth or the police.
- If the bus or train is crowded and you feel someone jostling or pushing you, immediately check your bag to see if it has been opened or cut.
- Be aware of who else gets off at your stop - you may wish to walk towards a well lit or populated area if you feel uncomfortable.
- Try to have someone meet you at your stop to take you home if at all possible.
Safety Tips for the Bus
- Avoid isolated bus stops as much as possible.
- Stand clear of the curb until the bus arrives.
- Don't open your purse or wallet when getting onto the bus - have the correct fare ready in your hand or use a smart-rider card.
- Have a copy of the timetable so you aren't waiting at the bus stop for too long.
- Hold your bag close to you - held close under your arm with the strap over your shoulder is best.
Safety Tips for the Train
- Try to avoid isolated platforms as much as possible.
- Purchase your ticket as soon as you arrive at the platform or use a smart-rider card.
- Have a copy of the timetable so you aren't waiting on the platform for too long.
- Stay in the lit areas of the platform.
- Hold your bag close to you - held close to you under your arm with the strap over your shoulder is best.
Designing Out Crime
RAC believes that Designing Out Crime is one way that train platforms and bus/train interchanges can be made safer. Through means such as increasing lighting and landscaping to enhance lines of sight it is easier to 'see and be seen'. This is evident in the innovative design features of stations on the Washington DC subway system built in the 1950s in the USA. The design includes stations without corners to minimise hiding places, and without toilets to discourage loitering.
Compared to other mass transit systems in the United States, the low rate of crime of Washington DC's subway system is contributed to its design:
- Target hardening (seats and fixtures are constructed with graffiti resistant materials).
- Access control (number of access ways to the each station from the street are limited making it harder to commit offences).
- Offender deflection (by having access points at either end of the platform to stop large crowds congregating in the middle thus making it harder for pickpockets to operate).
- Control of facilitators of crime (no toilets, excess benches and storage lockers, effectively discouraging offenders from loitering).
What can be attributed to public transport systems in Western Australia from this research is that simple measures such as those described above can be adapted and utilised with the construction of rail stations in Perth, greatly improving their safety and amenity.
Disclaimer: This information is provided by Royal Automobile Club (WA) Inc (RAC) voluntarily as a public service. It has been prepared in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the time of publication. Nonetheless, the reliability and accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed and the RAC expressly disclaims liability for any act or omission done or not done in reliance on the information and for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, arising from such act or omission. This information is intended to be a guide only and readers should obtain their own independent advice and their own necessary inquiries.