For many women nowadays taking a cab past 10 PM is as daunting a task as swimming with a fresh wound in a shark-infested ocean. In August 2016, Uber suspended a driver in Mumbai for allegedly molesting a female passenger, according to a report by NDTV. And unfortunately, this was the first, but not last incident of its kind. So it’s no surprise that women all around the world schedule and pattern their lives in fear of assault.

This video informs us of a simple yet extremely effective hack that can have the potential to save any passengers from a premeditated attack. The next time you’re in a taxi - be it Ola, Uber or even a public cab service - ensure that the child-lock is deactivated. Data shows that the one common denominator that was found in every case of molestation and rape in hired cabs in the past four years is that the child-lock was turned on by the driver, making escape impossible. When the child-lock is on, the doors and the windows are shut by the master lock, which is in the control of a driver - it can only be opened from outside. The video also explains how public cab services do not require or call for a child-lock, which is a feature preferred in private cars. It actively encourages every individual to check if the child-lock is activated and cab drivers to employ stickers on their vehicles and inform their passengers to check for the same.

So before getting into any car, open the door and check its side. Take a minute and locate the child-lock on the car door, make sure isn’t on. And if it is, do not take the cab and report the driver.

Representational feature image via Mid-day