Plan the last hour first
Most night-out plans begin with the venue. A safer plan begins with the trip home: when you need to leave, which service or licensed taxi you will use, where the pickup point is and what the backup costs.
Police guidance recommends planning how you will get home, travelling with friends and using a trusted taxi company. See the Police Scotland safe nights out advice and West Yorkshire Police personal-safety guidance.
Your before-you-go checklist
- Check the timetable. Know the final train or bus and the realistic time you must leave the venue.
- Choose a licensed backup. Save a trusted taxi number or reputable booking option. Never get into a vehicle you cannot verify.
- Protect the fare. Put the journey-home cost outside the social-spending budget.
- Charge your phone. Bring a small power bank if the night will be long.
- Tell someone. Share the venue, your expected return and any change of plan with a trusted person.
- Pick the meeting point. If your group gets separated, agree where you will regroup.
When it is time to leave
- Stay with people you trust where possible.
- Wait for transport in a well-lit, busy place.
- Check the registration, driver and booking details before entering a taxi.
- Do not accept an unplanned lift from someone you have just met.
- If walking is the only option, use well-lit main roads and avoid isolated shortcuts.
- If you feel followed or unsafe, go into an open venue, speak to staff or call police.
Put the journey into HeelClick
Choose a travel preference and leave time when you create the night. HeelClick can use Apple Maps estimates and route warnings to make the journey easier to manage. Safety Mode can open directions home, call a trusted contact or share a Maps route or location link.
HeelClick does not guarantee route safety, verify taxis, monitor your journey or dispatch help. Always use your judgement and emergency services when needed.
Plan your next journey home ↗If the last service is cancelled
Check the transport operator's official updates or ask staff about replacement services. Do not assume another bus or train will arrive. While you work out the next step, stay with trusted friends in a staffed, well-lit place rather than setting off on an isolated walk.
- Check the backup before moving. Confirm that a licensed taxi, rideshare or sober trusted driver is available, along with the pickup point and fare. A saved number is not a confirmed booking.
- Tell your trusted contact what has changed. Give them the new journey details and expected arrival. If your phone has died, ask venue or transport staff for help contacting them or arranging transport.
- Verify the vehicle when it arrives. Match the registration, driver and booking details before getting in. If they do not match, stay where you are and contact the booking provider or staff.
For example: your last train is cancelled and your usual taxi company cannot collect you. Stay with your friend near station staff, check whether the operator has a replacement service, then ask about another licensed booking option. Confirm the fare before using your reserved travel money and let your trusted contact know the new plan. This illustrates the decisions to make, not a promise that transport will be available.
If you cannot arrange a journey, ask staff or someone you trust to help you find a suitable place to wait or stay. Do not leave with an unverified driver just because the original plan has failed. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Do not make driving the backup after drinking
If you plan to drink, leave driving out of the journey home. A designated driver needs to be someone who is not drinking, not simply the person who has had the least. Do not accept a lift from a driver who has been drinking.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises arranging a non-drinking driver and not driving after drinking. See NHTSA's impaired-driving guidance. Neither how you feel nor an online calculation can prove that you are safe to drive. Our guide to alcohol calculators and driving explains the limits.
Write down the journey before you go
Use the free night out plan builder to record your leave time and journey choice. Add your backup's contact details, likely fare and pickup point to your own notes. The builder does not check timetables, make bookings or confirm that a service is available.
When to call emergency services
Contact your local emergency services if there is immediate danger, a serious crime is happening or someone needs urgent medical help. HeelClick is not an emergency service. If someone suddenly feels much more intoxicated than expected, confused or seriously unwell, tell venue staff and get medical help; do not leave them alone.