Healthy Habits: Summer Travel Tips

June is National Safety Month, and StreetSafe wants to share some travel safety tips with you.

1.         Plan Ahead. Let your friends and family know who you are traveling with, where you are staying and when you are expected home. Ask a neighbor you trust to keep an eye on your home while you are away.

 

2.         Do Your Research. Knowing what to expect in terms of the quality of the local water, recommended immunizations, extreme weather conditions, and local laws and customs will help you avoid sickness or injury and prevent altercations with locals.

 

3.         Beware of Petty Crime. Keep your purse, wallet and other valuables out of sight and be especially vigilant in crowded and touristy areas. Don’t keep your money all in one place.

 

4.         Practice Car Safety. Always keep your car doors locked, whether driving, at a stop light, or when parked, even for just a short absence. Stick to well-lit, busy streets. Driving a few extra minutes to avoid an unsafe area is a smart use of your time.

 

5.         Select the Hotel Carefully. The hotel should have modern keycard locks, a dead bolt, a peephole, and lock boxes to secure personal items, as well as guest privacy policy that prohibits them from giving out your room number. If someone knocks at your door claiming to be a hotel employee, call the front desk to confirm before letting them in.

 

6.         Purchase Smart Travel Technology. StreetSafe is a new mobile personal security service that combines wireless networks with GPS technology and a 24/7 state-of-the-art monitoring center. If you feel uneasy or threatened, the “Walk with Me” feature connects you to a live person who will keep you alert, direct you to a safe place, and stay on the phone with you until you reach your destination. If help is needed right away, the “Silent Alarm” instantly provides the local 911 with your exact GPS location. The service works in the U.S. and Canada wherever there is cell phone service.

            If you are staying at a hotel with a separate room for your infant or want to keep a close eye on him/her while relaxing on the balcony, consider a portable wireless camera which allows you to watch over your kids, even in a totally dark room.

To protect your digital life while on the road, there are a variety of Web-based services that allow users to store and retrieve documents, pictures, or videos and, if needed, access them from an Internet-connected device while you're traveling.