The world can be a dangerous place. But what if we told you that one of the best personal safety weapons is in your pocket?

When armed with the right apps, your cell phone can help promote safe behaviors, identify and mitigate threats, and trigger emergency notifications as needed.

In this post, we highlight some of our favorite personal safety apps.

Panic Buttons and Situational Awareness Apps

Whether you’re walking home alone, going on a blind date or simply traveling through an unfamiliar area, apps exist to help expand your situational awareness, keep friends/family informed of your whereabouts, and alert others if danger arises. Looking for a few to get started? Check out the following:

  • Red Panic Button: An alert system that lets you notify friends, family or emergency services with your GPS location coordinates.
  • React Mobile: Allow friends and family to track you in real-time whenever you activate the “Follow Me” feature.
  • Circle of 6: Let six of your closest friends know exactly where you are and how they can help with the tap of a button.
  • Kitestring: Give Kitestring the heads up when you’re going somewhere. The app will send you a text message to make sure you arrived safely. If you don’t respond to the text, it will alert your family and friends.
  • bSafe: Trigger a panic button, allow friends to virtually walk you home or configure fake calls to get yourself out of awkward situations.

Safe Driving Apps

From unsafe drivers to car breakdowns, there are numerous risks that exist on the road. Remain safe behind the wheel with the apps below:

  • Safe Driver: The app will auto-detect if you are driving, and silence incoming phone calls or text messages. It can even respond to the person with a short automated reply that you will “respond as soon as you can.”
  • Safely Go: Similar to Safe Driver, this app will auto-respond to calls and text messages while you’re driving.
  • AA: The AA app helps you get roadside assistance faster by sending your GPS coordinates to response teams.
  • Waze: This app crowd sources road conditions so that you are immediately notified of accidents, traffic and poor weather conditions. This way, you can avoid potentially hazardous roadways.

Home Security Apps

Many home security systems come with accompanying mobile apps that let you arm and disarm your system, view video feeds remotely and set notification triggers. This results in convenience, and real-time management and monitoring capabilities.

Check with your home security system vendor to see if they offer interactive capabilities, or download our ebook,Mobile Home Security Solutions: Starter Guide, for details on how they can simplify and safeguard your life.

What personal safety apps do you love? Share your recommendations below.

Image Source: UltraSlo1 via Flickr