With the advent of the smartphone, cell phones are used for a multitude of reasons, but how can we use cell phones to keep us safe? They've moved so far beyond just cell phones to make phone calls, but what many people don't realize is that they can also be used in quite a few ways to help keep you safe.
Additional Uses of a Cell Phone
It's doubtful that when Dr. Martin Cooper used the first mobile phone in 1973 he had an any idea it would eventually be used for far more things than phone calls. With the advent of smartphones, phones are being used even less to make or take calls. It would be more appropriate to call them handheld computers, as that's what more people use their cell phones for today. Additional ways cell phones are used include:
- Internet
- GPS
- Texting
- Cameras
- Calendar
But How Can We Use Cell Phones to Keep Us Safe?
Cell phones have become a necessity in today's society with all they can do, but how can we use cell phones to keep us safe? There are more ways than you might expect, from the obvious to the not-so-obvious.
Call for Help
The most obvious way to keep safe with your cell phone is to use it to call for help. 911 is just three buttons away, but emergency numbers can be preprogrammed into your phone to make it just one number away. It's also a good idea to have the numbers of your close friends and family preprogrammed in as well. Even if you aren't in imminent danger, fears can sometimes make it seem like you are. A reassuring voice on the other end of the line is sometimes all that is needed.
Pretend to Call for Help
Even if you aren't in direct danger at the given moment, your phone can still work for the same reasons. If nothing has happened to you, but you're afraid it could, you can hold your cell phone up to your ear and talk like there's someone listening on the other end. No one will be the wiser, and potential attackers will go looking for another victim, one who is less aware.
Help You Find Your Car
Cell phones can help you find your car so that you're not wandering around alone looking throughout the aisles of a parking lot or parking garage. There are a few different ways to do this. You can either type a note to yourself, take a photo of where you are, or use a phone app that does all the work for you. Many times the phone app will utilize some type of GPS to help you remember and locate your car.
Use as GPS
As mentioned above, many phones now come with a GPS system. Sometimes the service is free, and sometimes there's a fee attached. It has far more potential to keep you safe than just finding your car. It will also help prevent you from getting lost. If you're uncomfortable the the area you're traveling through, you won't need to worry about getting stranded. You'll be able to not only find your destination, but also locate nearby gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more.
Use as a Weapon
While a cell phone might not be easily recognizable as a weapon, it could definitely be used as such. They're hard enough that they could definitely do harm to your attacker, depending on what soft or sensitive areas you strike with them. While it could break your phone, it could also save your life.
Smartphone = Safe Phone
In answer to the question of how cell phones could keep you safe, the more gadgets and apps you have on your phone the better. However, don't keep them hidden away. Your phone will do you the most good the closer it is to you. Keep it handy, keep it close to you, and keep it visible.
