A scary highway rest stop encounter

Highway rest stops are designed to be an oasis for drivers. A safe place to stretch your legs, use the restroom, or just unwind for a while with a refreshment. We generally think of them as safe places but some criminals actually target rest stop areas for likely victims, especially those traveling alone. A few years ago a friend of a friend was traveling across Oklahoma at night with his family and he stopped at a small rest area to relieve himself. He left his family in the car and went inside.

Within a few minutes a strange man was beating on the bathroom stall demanding he come out. Luckily the potential victim was a concealed carry holder as was his wife. After producing his firearm the suspect fled. As the man returned to the family car his wife told him that another man in the suspect vehicle tried to get into the car (she had kept the doors locked) and she produced a gun at about the time the other suspect came running from the bathroom. Neither one had to fire their guns but it could have turned out much differently had they not been prepared to defend themselves.

While rest stop crime is relatively low there are some things to consider when traveling.

1. Try to use a well lit rest stop or keep traveling until you find a gas station.
2. Don’t get out of your car immediately. Take a few moments to look around and access the situation. Are there any empty cars (indicating someone is in the restroom) or shady characters loitering about? Most importantly, are they checking you out (staring)? This should concern you greatly and I would advise you to leave immediately if that happens.
3. Keep your doors locked while inside your vehicle.
4. If possible, use the restroom in groups. Restrooms have only one exit making them an effective trap for criminals to box you in and prevent your escape. If you don’t like the looks of the bathroom don’t use it. Drive down the road a bit and use the side of the road or exit. Technically it is against the law but most officers aren’t going to bust your chops if you just explain why you didn’t use the rest area.
5. Consider carrying some form of effective personal protection when traveling (check local laws to make sure you can carry the item).
6. If someone approaches your vehicle and tries to get in activate your alarm system, start the vehicle, and leave. Then call 911 and report the incident immediately.