3. Move to a Safer Location
If the vehicle is functioning normally, consider driving slowly to a busy, well-lit location such as a service station, police station, or populated parking area before stopping to investigate.
4. Don’t Ignore a Genuine Vehicle Problem
Safety goes both ways.
If you experience steering problems, severe vibration, loss of tire pressure, smoke, warning lights, or another obvious mechanical issue, don’t continue driving just to reach a different location.
Instead, find the safest possible place to stop and seek appropriate roadside assistance.
5. Check the Vehicle When You’re Safe
Once you’re in a secure location, inspect the tires and surrounding area.
If an unfamiliar object is wedged around a wheel, don’t put yourself at unnecessary risk trying to remove it in an isolated area.
What If You Actually Find a Bottle?
Finding a bottle near your tire doesn’t automatically mean you’ve been targeted.
Look around the vehicle and consider the circumstances.
Was the car parked somewhere busy?
Could the bottle have blown there?
Does it appear deliberately positioned?
Are there other signs that something is unusual?
If you feel genuinely threatened, remain in the locked vehicle and move to a safer location if the vehicle can be operated safely.
