There have been several instances of how people have been rescued by signalling quietly to passers-by.

The latest incident was on Thursday, when a taxi driver was spotted signalling when a drug-addled passenger held him at gunpoint and forced him to drive from Bangkok to Rayong. The cabbie tricked the passenger by saying he needed to use the toilet and drove into the Ban Bueng Police Station in Chonburi, where officers noticed his hand signals and rescued him.

In 2021, a 16-year-old girl who was abducted in North Carolina, US, was also rescued in time when someone spotted her signalling and called the police.

Using this international hand signal will ensure you are rescued in time anywhere in the world:

One signal that can save your life

If you are caught in a dangerous situation and cannot scream for help, then hand signals could very well save your life.