Going to meet a man for the first time is always exciting. All that expectation and those pre-date dreams are all just waiting to be realised. However, in the cold light of day you must always remember to take caution. You never quite know who the man is, so don’t take any chances. Follow my top 12 dating safety tips and keep safe.

1. Be careful about where you meet. It’s better to rendezvous on neutral ground rather than giving him your home address straight off.

2. Make sure there will be plenty of people around. There’s safety in numbers, so always rendezvous in well frequented places. It’s actually a great idea to double or group date.

3. Share the bill. If you “go Dutch” (share the bill 50/50) you won’t feel that you’re under any sort of obligation.

4. Drink safely. We all know that alcohol impairs our judgment. It also loosens any inhibitions. If you must drink alcohol on a date, don’t drink too much and always keep your drink with you to avoid getting it spiked.

5. Don’t get into someone else’s car if you don’t know the person well. You could easily end up being carted-off somewhere. Better to use your own vehicle for getting to and from your date. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of petrol in the tank.

6. A religious man is not necessarily a safe man. Just because someone says that they are religious doesn’t mean they are not potentially dangerous. There are many religious nutcases around. Don’t take anything for granted.

7. Do not give your home address to your potential date. If you don’t want to see him again it’s safest that he doesn’t know where you live. You don’t want to end up being stalked.

8. We already said to make sure there will be plenty of people around when you first meet. Places like parks are a definite no-no. Even though there are people around you could still be dragged into the bushes at an opportune moment. Take no chances and avoid these types of spaces.

9. Trust your natural instincts. If you don’t feel 100% comfortable, even if you can’t put your finger on why, make an excuse and leave. The longer the date goes on the more difficult leaving could prove, so do it sooner rather than later.

10. Make sure someone knows where you’re going and with who. Other ways of keeping safe include arranging a time to call back to let people know you are okay, or maybe arranging to rendezvous with friends at some stage during the date.

11. Don’t give him your home phone number. Homes phone numbers can be traced without too much difficulty, so if you must give your date a phone number, make it your mobiles.

12. Be vigilant. Even if things are going well, don’t be led into a false sense of security. Be alert throughout the date. You should also make sure your carrying your mobile with you.

First time and early dating without danger is simple but imperative. Remember, you don’t yet fully know the guy. Keeping yourself safe means you will survive to date another date.