The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is responsible for approximately 1.6 million rides throughout Chicago on an average weekday.

Many Chicagoans solely depend on it as their only form of transportation.

With such high volumes of riders on a daily basis, it’s alarming that the CTA is quickly becoming a dangerous form of transportation.

According to a recent report released by ABC7 Chicago’s I-Team, violence on the CTA is widespread.

The report says riders are often met with a variety of frightening encounters such as armed robbers, cellphone thieves, fist fights and shoving.

ABC7 provided raw police data showing that in 2012, there were more than 6,800 assaults, robberies, thefts and similar offenses.

According to data, you are more likely to become a victim on a CTA train or platform than on a bus or at a bus stop. On average, 19 CTA passengers are victimized each day.

With the privilege of unlimited CTA rides during the academic year, DePaul students should be aware of these statistics and do their best to prevent becoming a victim.

While we can’t avoid dangerous situation at all times, we can use common sense and good judgments to decrease the chances of being victimized.

Here are a few tips:

Š—¢ Know your surroundings. Get a good sense of those around you and keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious.

Š—¢ Avoid traveling between 12 a.m. – 6 a.m. This is when disaster is most likely to strike because not many people are around.

Š—¢ Don’t listen to music, especially at night. Listening to music allows people to zone out and lose awareness of their surroundings, which makes it easier to be victimized.

Š—¢ Put all your expensive items away. Cellphone theft is the No. 1 type of theft on the CTA. iPhones are being snatched faster than Halloween candy.

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Criminals will target items such as iPads, MacBooks, tablets, etc. The CTA is not the place to display your most expensive possessions.

If you feel threatened, leave.

It’s better to overestimate a situation and be safe rather than underestimate it and end up becoming the latest victim of CTA crime.

DePaul students can rest a little easier, though. It was recently announced that surveillance cameras will be installed in all trains traveling through Lincoln Park by the end of 2013.

DePaul’s main station, Fullerton, will be included.

“Having a world-class public transportation system is a key goal of my administration, and making sure that Chicagoans can have a safe experience onboard our trains and buses is a top priority,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement.

“These additional cameras will work directly with the many other upgrades we’ve made to improve the experience of our passengers, so they can get to work and school smoothly and safely.”