After seeing movies like The Call and Taken, it is hard not to feel paranoid when walking alone to your car or exploring an unfamiliar city with your best friend. We can’t all be saved by Halle Berry or Liam Neeson, so with safety apps we can take measures into own hands—mostly. Safety apps won’t magically transport you to your destination, but can alert the police or emergency contacts should you be in a dangerous situation. Hopefully you aren’t ever in such a predicament, but it is always best to be prepared. Here are the top 3:
1. SafeTrek
If it were the early 2000s, we would say SafeTrek has the police on speed dial. To use the app, you hold a button down until you arrive safely to your destination. A 4-digit pin is required to keep from notifying the police. So if you are in danger and the pin is not entered, the police will be alerted. The app does have a fee of $2.99 a month, but that’s to support their 24/7 call centers that keep people safe. Considering its average 4 ½ star rating, it is worth it. You can get it for iPhone or Android.
2. Drunk Mode
Drunk Mode lets you find party hotspots, show where you went during your night out and block people you shouldn’t call when drunk, but the most important tools on the app are “Find My Drunk” and “Find a Safe Ride Home.” This app will save you when you walk out of the bathroom of a bar and have no idea where your friends went thanks to GPS. You can get it for free from iTunes or Google Play.
3. Companion
A free app with high ratings. Could it get any better? With Companion, you input you destination, mode of transportation and the person you want to be your “Companion.” Should at any time you feel unsafe, you just have to tap your Companion’s the police icon. A perk for your friends and family is they don’t have to download the app to be a Companion. Get it for iPhone or Android.
Editing Note: This article did not filter through the normal EmpowHER editing and fact checking process. It was checked for spelling and grammar.