Anyone you don't really know is a stranger. And any stranger should make you turn up your radar.

It is not always easy to tell good people from bad people. Bad people can look like good people and they can think of lots of tricks to make you think they are nice. But if you stay alert and follow the rules, you can take control.

say No if someone you don't know asks you to go anywhere with them, no matter what they say.

step well back if a stranger stops to ask for directions. Make sure you are at least a grown-up's arm's length away from the person in the car, so you can get away fast if you need to.

always remember no one has the right to make you do anything.

danger in safe places

Are you ready for a tough lesson because this is one: things are not always what they seem to be. People who you know really well who seem nice, can sometimes turn out to be not so nice.

Most people who seem good are good people. But it is really important for you to know that sometimes people are just pretending to be nice. They might wait for a chance to be alone with a kid to trick him or her into danger.

stay alert....stay safe! Always pay attention to your radar, even with people you know. If things don't feel quite right to you, get away fast

always say NO if someone asks you to go alone into their home, car or office unless a parent has said it is ok and knows where you are. Follow this rule with everyone...even people you know well.

don't trust people who act one way in front of other grown-ups, and then treat you in a different way when they talk to you alone. It might mean they are trying to hide something from other grown-ups. If they act extra nice to you or try to share secrets when grown-ups are not around, turn up your radar fast and tell another grown-up

follow these rules with all grown-ups, even with really important ones. If a neighbour, a teacher, a coach or even your parent's friend asks you to go off alone with them, you must say NO. Don't be afraid of getting told off. Tell them you are following the Stay Alert...Stay Safe rules. If these are OK grown-ups, and most of them are, they will understand why you are saying NO and will be proud of you.

apartment safety

Apartments are cool places to live, just remember to follow our simple safety rules:

walk the building with your parent and check out safe places and places that could be dangerous. Make sure your parent knows where you like to play.

stay away from lonely places like stairwells and storage rooms.

stand by the control panel in an elevator if someone gets on who you don't like, press lots of buttons and get off at the next floor. If you feel scared, knock and scream at the closest apartment door.

shopping mall safety

• try to stay close to the grown-up you are shopping with.
• agree on a meeting place where you both wait if you get lost.
• ask for help from someone who works in a store if you feel scared.
• say NO if someone asks you to go anywhere with them, unless your parent has said it is OK and knows where you are.

Never leave the mall without the grown-up you came with, unless they have said it is OK.

stay alert for tricks 

People who mean danger can think up clever tricks to make children go off with them. But no one is going to fool you because you have got your radar turned up, right? Here are some tricks to look out for. You might be able to think of some more.

bad people might try to make you go off with them by promising you something that would make you happy. It might be a kitten, a toy, or just some ice cream on a hot day. If someone offers you something like this, get your radar working fast! Why does this grown-up want to give you or show you something for nothing? It could mean danger.

Get your parent to phone the person instead, and if your parent thinks the person is for real, make your parent go with you to meet them.

Always be alert when grown-ups you don't know well, fuss over you. This is a time to get your radar working!

dangerous people might pretend there is an emergency, or ask for your help. They might pretend your Mom or Dad has been rushed to the hospital and say they have come to take you to them. Or sometimes they will say your brother or sister or pet has been hurt and will try to panic you into going with them for help.

Always check with a grown-up you trust before you go off with anyone. If someone you love was really hurt, this grown up you trust would help you.

some bad grown-ups might knock on your door and pretend they are sick or need help for their car. Do not open the door. Ignore them! If someone really needs help, they will go to a neighbour.

another trick is to say that if you go off with them, something special will happen. If you are good at sports, they might pretend to be a scout who wants you to go with them to meet a great team captain. If you dance, they might lie and say they want you to be in a show. Or maybe they might phone and say they want you to be in a movie or in a newspaper photo.

These are just a few of the tricks used. If you keep your radar on, you might spot some more. Tell your parent about them.

when you need help!

Every kid gets in a spot where they need help sometimes. Right? It is bound to happen. Maybe you get lost, or you lose the money you need to get home. Or maybe it is your parents' fault and they don't turn up to collect you from school or from the playing field.

So what do you do? You turn up your radar! When kids feel upset or scared, they do not always think straight. They sometimes panic, and that makes them easy targets for people who might want to play tricks on them. Not you though, right!

always choose the person you want to help you. Don't go off with someone who comes up to you. They might see you as a target because you're upset. Do choose your helper. Safe people to choose to ask are: police officers & fire-fighters, Block Parents, mothers with children, uniformed bus drivers or people who work in stores.

Tell the helper you have chosen what has happened and ask them to phone your parents or to wait with you until they arrive.

if you're in danger

Stay calm and think through the situation you're facing. If you end up in real danger, you can still get help and save yourself.

• if someone grabs you, scream loudly and keep screaming. Scream out "Help! I don't know you!" It isn't babyish to scream. It's is very smart indeed.
• spin around and around fast to stop someone from grabbing you.

Scream, bite, kick, get down on the ground and squirm like a worm! This works really well because it's hard for someone to pick You up! Try to learn this line and practice squirming like a worm!

• if you can, run away fast and keep screaming. Head for crowds, stores, a Block Parent house or a house with children's toy's and bikes outside.
• if you are trapped in a car, try to leap out when the car stops at stop-lights.
• if the car door is locked, open the window and scream loudly.
• phone the emergency number for the police. 9-1-1 They will find you.

bullies are a real pain, so we have some special tips to help you stop them acting like that.

• always tell a parent, teacher or other grown-up about bullies. They can help you and your friends.
• if a bully bothers you at school, stick with your buddies and play close to a teacher.
• always say NO! if a bully tries to make you give him or her something that belongs to you.

• My emergency phone numbers
• My parent's work number
• The other grown-up I can call for help
• My doctors phone number
• My best friends phone numbers

Check out your route to school with your parent so you know the safe places you can go to if you need help along the route.

Now that you have finished reading all of the helpful tips on this page, take the test again and see if you can score 100%

For information on a wide range of additional materials, available free of charge to schools and community groups, please contact: