If you’re like most people, staying healthy and safe in your day to day life is among your top priorities. The modern world is far safer than 100 years ago, however, it brings its own dangers.

Of course, we do not mean to make anyone paranoid because the fact is: you are much safer than your ancestors, but knowing how to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy, in any time period or environment, is a good thing.

You likely know there are many steps to boost your health like eating the right food, exercising, getting quality sleep at night, as well as increasing your safety, such as avoiding dangerous situations.

However, there are many ways to avoid accidents and illnesses that you might not have considered.

According to a survey we did on the “TOP 3 ways to keep yourself safe in the modern world” it turns out our readers are smarter than us. There were many responses we did not even consider.

In this article we decided to share with you the 5 most uncommon ones that are also really smart, in our opinion. They include the following.

5 Uncommon but Smart Ways to Stay Safe:

1. Choose the Right Parking Spots.

This is an important tip that’s easy to overlook. Most people choose parking spots based on convenience. Their primary goal is to park as close to their destination as possible.

That’s understandable. That said, it’s important to understand how choosing the right parking spot can actually play a critical role in your safety.

For instance, parking in a relatively busy and well lit area can decrease your odds of being attacked when returning to your vehicle at night.

Inspecting a parking spot for nearby hazards, such as potholes, can also help you avoid slip and falls and other potential accidents.

Be aware, even seemingly “minor” falling accidents result in millions of hospitalizations throughout the US each year.

2. Research Dangerous Intersections and Roads.

For various reasons, accidents tend to occur more often at some intersections and roads than on others.

With that in mind, you should research the most dangerous roads and intersections in your area, as well as any other regions in which you frequently drive.

Avoiding them when doing so won’t unreasonably inconvenience you is another easy way to limit your chances of being involved in an accident.

3. Keep Water and Non perishable Food Items on Hand During Long Trips.

If you’re ever going on a trip that’s even slightly long, bring bottles of water and non perishable food items with you.

Ideally, you’ll never break down in an area that leaves you isolated.

If you do, however, you’ll be glad you brought food and water to keep yourself hydrated and fed until help arrives.

As a bonus tip: It’s also a good idea to always bring a portable charger for your phone with you at all times.

Your phone can potentially save your life in various situations.

Of course, it can only do so if it’s charged.

4. Know Your Neighborhoods.

Just as it’s wise to learn about which roads and intersections near you are most dangerous, whenever you know you’ll be visiting an unfamiliar neighborhood, conduct some basic research to learn about any safety risks and threats associated with it.

For example, you might learn that while a particular neighborhood you’ll be visiting is fairly safe, there are some corners of it that you should avoid due to a high rate of crime.

5. Set a Fake Home Address on Your Phone or GPS.

If you routinely use a GPS app or unit to navigate unfamiliar areas, you may have your home address programmed in it. This is something many GPS users do without thinking about why they shouldn’t.

Hopefully, someone who wishes to do you harm will never steal your phone or GPS unit, but they could.

If you program in a fake home address, you can at least be comfortable knowing your stolen GPS won’t let them easily find you.

It’s also essential to understand what to do if harm ever should befall you.

For example, even if you take steps to stay safe, an accident through no fault of your own is a possibility in anyone’s life and, if that were to happen, you should know how to get emergency medical help, contact a personal injury lawyer, and generally take steps to ensure your physical safety and rights are protected.

Knowledge saves lives.