My one piece of advice would be that you can take charge of your own safety. You are in control of where and how you spend your time, as well as who you spend your time with. These factors are under your control, and play a tremendous role in your safety.

Exercise that control.

I go into  a bit more detail on this subject in Texas Hold’em Self Defense, but here is a short version:

Take charge of who you spend your time with. If someone creeps you out or engages in illegal activities of which you do not wish to participate – cut them out of your life. There is a lot to the old saying that if you show me your friends I will show you your destiny.

Be selective in where you spend your time. You can spend your time in places where crime is less likely, or more likely. Choose the former! It isn’t rocket surgery, just be smart about where you hang out.

And finally, be wise in your choices of extracurricular activities. If your nightly plan is to go out and get plastered, sloppy falling-face-first-into-the-toilet-waking-up-with-puke-in-your-hair drunk, you can expect certain risks to go along with that life-choice. However, if you choose a different set of after-work pastime activities, you can expect a different set of outcomes.

So, that is it. Take charge of your safety.

And don’t be a jerk.