DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers
  • Home
    • DeVaughn James – East Wichita
    • DeVaughn James – West Wichita
    • DeVaughn James – Topeka
  • Practice Areas
    • Car Accidents
    • Trucking Accident
    • Motorcycle Accidents
    • Slip and Fall Injuries
    • Commercial Vehicle Accident
    • Brain Injuries
    • Dog Bite
    • Drunk Driving
    • Product Injuries
    • Nursing Home Injuries
    • Roundup Cancer Lawsuit
    • Workers Compensation
    • Wrongful Death
    • Bad Drugs & Harmful Products
    • Prescription Drug Injuries
  • About Our Firm
    • Locations
      • DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers – East Wichita
      • DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers – West Wichita
      • DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers – Topeka
    • DJ Giveaways
      • $2500 Charity Giveaway
      • Think Before U Drink
      • DJ Birthday Bash
    • Community Service
      • DJ WINS for Kansas
      • Helping Hand Grants
      • Pay it Forward
      • Veteran Salute – Topeka
      • Veteran Salute – Wichita
      • In The Community
    • Join Our Team
    • DeVaughn James Newsletter
    • FAQ’s
    • What Our Clients Say
    • Our Results
    • Tour Our Offices Online
  • Attorneys
    • Dustin L. DeVaughn
    • Richard W. James
    • Cody G. Claassen
    • Shawn P. Aldrich
    • Joseph Behzadi
    • Jessica A. Brunken
    • Joseph Bryden
    • Nick French
    • Andrew T. Geren
    • Garrett Heath
    • Tymber W. Long
    • Tim Love
    • Brendan P. Lykins
    • Andy Massey
    • Claire Melero
    • Scott Nading
    • Heather A. Nizzio
    • Chris Omlid
    • Mackenzie Orchard
    • Dakota Persinger
    • Arthur E. Rhodes
    • Lance Smith
    • Corey Sucher
    • Patrick Turner
    • Luke J. Williams
    • Jeff Wilson
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • East Wichita Office
    • West Wichita Office
    • Topeka Office
    • Attorney Referral
316-888-8888
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Car Accidents
  • Last Minute Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Last Minute Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Last Minute Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

by admin / Tuesday, December 23, 2014 / Published in Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Safety Tips

The holiday season is undoubtedly the most wonderful time of the year, with people in a festive mood out and about trying to get their shopping done. The air crackles with excitement and in the midst of the bustling environment; it is understandable why most remain oblivious to the dangers lurking around them. Unfortunately, the holiday season also brings along a spate of accidents and opportunity crimes. So, this year while you go about picking up all the goodies that will go under the tree, use these tips to be safe and make this a truly Merry Christmas.

What are crimes of opportunity?

Last minute christmas shopping tips

These are spontaneous unlawful acts that are not premeditated; the crime occurs when the opportunity presents itself. For instance, a thief spots a car full of shopping bags in an isolated parking lot and decides to break into the vehicle. Since the infraction is not planned when things go awry, like the owner of the vehicle showing up, the situation can quickly take a turn for the worse. So, it is crucial to take precautionary measures against such acts.

Safety and shopping can go together!

Here are some tips that will help from inadvertently creating and walking into risky situations:

  • Try to get all your shopping done in daylight hours. If you must shop after sundown, take a friend or family member along. The more people you have along, the lower will be the risk of being targeted.
  • Do not wear expensive jewelry or carry too much cash with you which may attract unwanted attention.
  • While approaching your vehicle, visually scan to see if there is somebody hiding underneath the car. There have been cases in which assailants have slashed the victim’s leg, so that the person cannot run or fight back.
  • Once near your car, check the back seat and as soon as you get in, lock the doors even before you put the key in ignition
  • When shopping make several trips to the car to deposit your purchase in the vehicle. This way, you won’t be walking around with too many bags.
  • Always store your purchases in the trunk as opposed to on the backseat.
  • Make a mental note of the people around you and scan the vicinity of your car as you walk to it. People do not hang around in parking lots next to locked vehicles, particularly if they are not carrying any shopping bags themselves. If you see anything suspicious, return to the store at once.
  • Always let a friend or family know where you are going and when you will get back.
  • Never buy anything from unlicensed sellers in parking lots. Not only do you stand to be sold counterfeit and stolen items but also this is usually the bait for mugging.
  • Keep your electronic gadgets such as laptops, cell phones, tablets and satellite radios in the trunk of the car and away from plainview.
  • Do not attempt to investigate suspicious activity in your own; instead simply call mall security or dial 911.
  • Keep your purses and bags snapped closed.
  • If using your debit card, hold it close to your body in such a way that the card number cannot be photographed with a cell phone.
  • Keep young children in the stroller or the shopping cart at all times.
  • If you have older kids along, plan on what is to be done if the family gets separated during shopping.
  • While going out, ensure that your cell phone is charged and there are no problems with your car.
  • Always park in a well lit area.
  • Keep your cell phone on your person instead of in your purse.
  • Be confident and make eye contact when walking and shopping; this will usually prove to be a deterrent for most attackers.

Safe online shopping

Online safety is just as important as offline safety since nearly 50% of all purchases are expected to be made through e-Retailers this year. Although there may be no physical harm involved in online crime, do not underestimate the damage that online burglars can wreak on your finances. A few preventative steps that you can take include:

  • Never use a link to an online retailer that you have received through mail. Phishing scams are the easiest and most effective way to target hapless online shoppers. The page that you are taken to will be an exact replica of that of a retailer, but it is actually designed to capture financial information from buyers.
  • When shopping online, use a search engine to find the homepage of a retailer and then visit their website.
  • If a deal is too good to be true, it may not be true. Always check for prices from multiple retailers. If some website is claiming to sell a particular item for 1/10th its cost, this should be a red flag.
  • Always read the fine print when shopping online. Learn about what you are agreeing to before you sign up for a service. A lot of online agencies will charge recurring fees.
  • Never store credit card information on ecommerce sites.
  • It is best to shop from home instead of using a public WiFi network.
  • Password your gadgets including your mobile devices if you intend to use them for shopping.
Tagged under: Driving Safety, Holiday Safety, Last Minute Shopping, Safety

What you can read next

Semi-truck and car collision on Kansas roadway
Motorists’ Rights After a Trucking Accident in Topeka, Kansas
Dustin DeVaughn Representing Kansas Man In E-Cig Battery Lawsuit
Red sedan with damaged front bumper.
Is a Single Vehicle Accident Always the Driver’s Fault?

Recent Blog Posts

  • Topeka Motorcycle rider on Kansas roadway.

    Motorcycle Awareness Month

    May is Motorcycle Awareness Month, instituted b...
  • Damaged car in downtown Kansas City street due to an accident.

    Kansas and Missouri Have Very Different Car Accident Laws

    Car accidents can have devastating effects on p...
  • Image of the Missouri state flag and the Kansas state flag

    Car Insurance Requirements Kansas and Missouri

    Car insurance is an essential requirement for d...
  • Passenger in sedan distracting driver

    Can Passengers be Liable for Causing a Car Accident?

    Passengers in a vehicle can be a significant di...
  • Snowy and slushy Kansas parking lot.

    Slip and Fall Accident in Kansas Parking Lot

    Slip and falls are a common occurrence in publi...

Archives

Categories

  • Bicycle Accident
  • Car Accidents
  • Class Action
  • Commercial Vehicle Accidents
  • Community Service
  • Dog Bites
  • Firm News
  • Kansas Auto Insurance
  • Law
  • Missouri Auto Insurance
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Nursing Home Abuse
  • Personal Injury
  • Safety Tips
  • Slip & Fall Accidents
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Uncategorized
  • Veterans
  • Wrongful Death

ABOUT US

DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers is the largest personal injury law firm in Kansas. We have offices in Wichita and Topeka where we focus on personal injury cases, such as car accidents, semi-truck accidents, and wrongful death. Every day we help Kansans, just like you, who have suffered an injury through no fault of their own.

*No Fee Guarantee represents a contingent fee contract, the payment of an attorney fee is contingent on a recovery.

CONTACT US

316-888-8888
316-977-9999
785-888-8888
620-888-8888

*Prior results do not guarantee outcomes in future cases as each case is individually based upon the personal injuries of the clients.

24/7 LIVE CHAT AVAILABLE

24/7 Live Chat Service

*Offices located in Wichita & Topeka, Kansas. Proudly serving all of Kansas! DeVaughn James - East | DeVaughn James - West | DeVaughn James - Topeka

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Attorney Referral
  • DJ Newsletters
  • Join Our Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

© 2023 DeVaughn James Injury Lawyers. All Rights Reserved.

TOP Cleantalk Pixel