Safe Trek is an app that every college girl (and guy) needs. Basically, it is a personal safety app that costs $2.99 a month (or $29.99 a year) and will send police to your exact location in an emergency situation if needed. The instructions are simple: Hold the button if you feel unsafe, and when released, you will have 10 seconds to enter a 4-digit pin, after which emergency law-enforcement will be alerted of your precise location. Safe Trek brings great comfort if you find yourself walking home from work or to your car after dark. This app will make you feel so much safer in any situation where you are not able to dial 911. Unlike a 911 call during which you need to give your location, Safe Trek gives your location within 5-meter accuracy. With the press of a button, police are sent to you and you do not need to verbally speak to a dispatcher if you do not want to.
I’ve witnessed several people upset over “$2.99 per month” aspect of Safe Trek. However, you have to understand that Safe Trek operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, during which certified dispatchers are available to take your call and ensure that you get the help that you need. The orientation and training process for dispatchers isn’t free, and these employees of Safe Trek are not volunteers, they are EMPLOYEES. They need money to pay their bills and support their families. Safe Trek is well worth the $3 a month that I spend to have peace of mind.
Safe Trek is worth every penny. Believe me when I say that the dispatchers are awesome. On an occasion a couple of weeks ago, I was using the app. I had a second where I thought I may need it, and released the button. I missed the 10-second time window to enter my pin, and was given a second chance, during which I entered my pin, feeling more safe than I previously had. Within 5 minutes, I had received a personal text message from a dispatcher that read: “Hey Kaytie, my name is Zach and I’m one of the founders of SafeTrek. I heard that you triggered an alarm today – I was really glad to hear that you were okay and that it was just a false alarm. I just wanted to drop in to make sure everything is going well and to see how you are doing. Anything I can help you out with?”. I was so pleasantly surprised by the individuality of the message and even received a second message from “Karen” a few hours later.
All in all, I think that Safe Trek is one app that provides a great amount of comfort. it’s reliable and easily accessible, considering that we college students carry our phones with us everywhere. The app has nearly 50,000 users, and this number increases daily. It costs nearly as much as a can of pepper spray or mace, and brings peace of mind during scary situations, which I think is priceless.