At 21 your daughter is naive, inexperienced and invulnerable in her own mind - just like most people her age. You are none of these things and of course you are worried for her safety. I suggest that you read the article here at www.parenting-advice.net in the Teenagers section, entitled "Keeping Teens Safe." In addition, here is some quick advice: Acknowledge to your daughter that you cannot keep her safe. This is her responsibility. You certainly can't follow her around to make sure she makes wise decisions. Acknowledge also that she is an adult, not a little girl who needs parental supervision. This acknowledgment can help reduce some of the battle. Tell her that you are worried when you know she will be home after the buses run and tell her that it is worth it for you to pay for a taxi for her to come home (if you have such a service in your area) safely. Ask her if she would do this for your sake (not for hers). If a taxi service is unavailable and/or you are willing to pick her up from the main intersection yourself, then offer this, again for YOUR sake, rather than hers. If you have a pleasant relationship, it is possible she will want to help you out with your anxiety, even though she doesn't think there is a need for it. Another idea is to ask her if she would call the local police station to find out from them if it is safe or not for her to do that walk at 3 a.m. If they say it is, then you can agree that she can do it. If they say it isn't, then she can agree not to. Again, if you are not overly negative toward her, it is quite possible she will be agreeable to this idea. On your part, you must acknowledge to YOURSELF that there is only so much you can do to keep your young adult safe. You've given her a good education, lots of instructions and all the best you have to offer. There is a certain amount of helplessness beyond this point. If you let your daughter know that you trust her (even if you don't really), it will help program her to be more responsible. Never imply or actually say that you think she is immature, lacking in brains or any other insulting description. Show her that you have faith in her good judgment and hopefully, she'll live up to that.