transportation
How to Plan Safe Travel Routes
Guidance for planning predictable and alternate travel routes to minimize risk.
transportationplanning
SAFETY PLANNING
How to Plan Safe Travel Routes
Main route
These steps outline how to map and review a primary travel route that feels more predictable and secure.
- Identify your usual start and end points (home, work, school, childcare, store).
- List 2–3 common ways to get between them (walking, driving, public transit, rideshare, carpool).
- Choose one option as your “main route” for everyday use.
- Note key locations along the way:
- Busy public areas (stores, libraries, cafes)
- Places with staff on-site (offices, clinics, schools)
- Well-lit streets and main roads
- Check what the route looks like at the times you usually travel:
- Lighting conditions
- Typical foot or vehicle traffic
- Areas that feel isolated or closed at certain hours
- Review any points where you tend to be stopped or delayed, such as:
- Parking lots or garages
- Transit stops and platforms
- Intersections where you often wait alone
- Consider whether there are nearby locations on the route where you could pause, call, or wait with other people if needed.
This type of planning can be combined with other tools, such as a written safety plan or an evidence log. General safety concepts and tools are also described in resources linked from DV.Support.
Alternate route
An alternate route gives you additional options if your main path does not feel workable on a certain day.
- Identify at least one alternate way to travel between the same points:
- A different street or road
- A different bus, train, or transfer point
- A different parking area or building entrance
- Check how visible this alternate route is:
- Lighting during your typical travel times
- Nearby businesses or homes that are usually open
- Availability of security staff or cameras (for example, in larger buildings or transit hubs)
- Map possible “stop points” along the alternate route where you could:
- Go inside a public place
- Wait in a lobby or reception area
- Ask staff to call someone on your behalf, if you choose
- Consider a second alternate route if your routines change frequently (for example, a weekday vs. weekend route).
- Keep simple written directions or a saved map for your alternate route in a place you can access quickly.
Timing strategies
Changing timing can sometimes make travel feel more predictable or less visible.
- Review your current travel times:
- What time you usually leave and return
- How long the route typically takes
- Where you usually wait or stop along the way
- Identify small timing adjustments that may help, such as:
- Leaving with a group of coworkers or classmates when possible
- Arriving slightly earlier or later to avoid waiting alone
- Choosing times when public spaces on your route are open
- Plan who, if anyone, knows your expected travel times:
- Decide what you want others to know about your schedule.
- Choose one or two people you might tell if your schedule changes.
- Consider how long you can reasonably stay flexible with timing, and note any fixed commitments (school bell times, work shifts, childcare pick-ups).
- Note any days or times you may want to avoid particular locations, and plan alternate paths or stops for those periods.
When to switch routines
Having clear criteria for when to switch routes or routines can make decisions more structured.
- Make a short list of signs that your main route or timing may not feel workable, such as:
- New patterns of being watched, followed, or intercepted on your usual path
- Unwanted contact at specific stops, parking areas, or entrances
- Repeatedly seeing the same vehicle or person in ways that concern you
- Decide in advance what changes you might use in response:
- Use your alternate route on certain days or times.
- Change which entrance or exit you use for a building.
- Adjust departure or return times within what is realistic for you.
- Consider how often you want to review your routine (for example, once a month or when your work or school schedule changes).
- Write down, for your own reference:
- What your “default” main route and time are
- What your “switch” route and time are
- Any signals to yourself that mean “today I am using the alternate plan”
- Keep route information where you can reach it easily:
- Simple written notes
- Saved locations in a map app
- Printed directions in a bag or wallet