In 1980, when I was a 10-yo free ranger, I was stalked and followed through the mall by an adult male, all the way outside. Had I not been meeting up my mother outside at the time, I'm not sure what would have happened. But seeing her there emboldened me to turn around and ask the guy why he was following me, at which point he left.
I did not have stranger-danger training, so the experience was more awkward than scary.
According to meganslaw.ca.gov, there is one registered sex offender within two miles of our current house. There are 28 within two miles of the house I grew up in. It was a nice neighborhood.
Even in my old slow neighborhood with its wide streets, I remember seeing a girl get hit by a car at the end of my street. Another friend in 6th grade got seriously injured by a car and was out all of 7th, returning in 8th with crutches and slurred speech.
Statistically, cars are my real worry when my children are out. Drunk drivers, texting drivers, angry girlfriends/boyfriends speeding through neighborhoods in 4,000-pound bullets. I let DD8 go around the block now on her scooter and I still can't relax until I see her.
