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Home is where the heart is, and our hearts are in the neighborhoods and communities housing our families. While many suburban neighborhoods are relatively safe, others are questionably so, which is unfortunate considering the kids playing outside and the casual walks to and from the neighborhood. So how can you make your neighborhood safer?
Putting Up Signs
In neighborhoods with a large population of children, traffic can be one of the scariest threats. A careless driver could cause all sorts of damage to your home or injure any kids or bystanders. It’s important to have the right traffic road signs in full view for all drivers. Caution signs or signs urging for slower speeds could prevent any damage, injuries, or accidents.
If your neighbors own dogs, you may want to ask them to place warning signs on their front lawns. As tame and lovable as that pet might be, it’s good to play it safe just in case.
Turning on the Lights
A dark neighborhood is intimidating and can be a breeding ground for crime. Improve the quality of lighting in your neighborhood and consider the placement of both public and private lighting sources. Yard lights are inexpensive and easy to install but can make a world of difference. Keep a dim LED porch light on all night and encourage others to do the same.
Light is one of the two things that discourage criminals, the other being noise. A well-lit neighborhood is a safe one.
Improving the Neighborhood
Improving the neighborhood sounds like a very general suggestion, but improving the overall look of the neighborhood can make it much safer. It is a very simple concept: we protect what we love; criminals see a cared-for neighborhood and assume it is being diligently watched. A clean neighborhood is a safe one.
You can do many simple things to achieve this. Do your part to keep your home’s exterior clean. Cut your lawn regularly. Rake those leaves. Keep trees trimmed back and high. Cut bushes back from sidewalks to make them safer for walking after dark. Even planting flowers around your neighborhood and on street corners will make your neighborhood look much cleaner and neater.
Get other people in the community involved. Organize a group to clean up the neighborhood. Pick up litter, cut the grass, and make any necessary property repairs. Remove and paint over any graffiti. Even better, get the kids involved and paint a mural over surfaces. With the whole neighborhood involved, you can get these tasks done quickly and give everyone pride in their community.
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