Summer is here, and for many people, that means it’s time to travel! Whether it’s a day trip to the beach or a cruise to an exotic island, summer is a time for families, couples and individuals to plan some of their most memorable getaways.
Unfortunately, even the most experienced travelers can get stuck in threatening or dangerous situations – from theft and other crimes to accidents and severe weather. However, you don’t need to let fear hold you back from traveling to the places you want to go.
Simply follow the summer travel safety tips below for stress-free travel:
Choose Your Destination Wisely
Heading to an all-inclusive resort? Preparing for some international travel? Renting a house on the lake? Getting ready to buckle up at your local amusement park with the kids? No matter where you are going, when you plan your itinerary, think about safety first. For example, if you’re going to be driving for hours and know that you’ll want to spend the night in a hotel to break up the ride, do your homework. Some areas are safer than others. Go online and research what others have to say about the accommodations. Tripadvisor.com is a great place to start.
But don’t just end your research with the hotel. Be sure to learn about the surrounding area as well. Sometimes, the hotel is extremely safe, but if you venture from the confines of the resort, then safety is an issue. In this situation, you may still decide to travel to your destination but remain on the hotel grounds during your stay.
Also, pay attention to the news when selecting safe places to visit. Political unrest, weather, and even disease may create a dangerous atmosphere for travelers. To stay abreast of these safety concerns, the United States Department of Homeland Security issues travel alerts. These alerts include airport security checkpoint wait times, health alerts, and international travel warnings. Visit https://www.dhs.gov/travel-alerts for additional information.
Enjoying Your Stay . . . Safely
Once you reach your destination, enjoy yourself . . . but wisely. For instance, if you’re at the beach, use common sense when it comes to water safety:
- Swim in a guarded area,
- Pay attention to weather reports (to anticipate sudden storms and dangerous rip currents), and
- Never swim alone.
And if you’re enjoying other water sports, follow the safety instructions for that jet ski, catamaran, etc. Wear life jackets (even if you’re a strong swimmer), and always stay with your group. Visit http://www.redcross.org for even more water safety tips.
If you’re on an excursion, travel in pairs or small groups. For added safety, let someone back at the hotel or resort know where you plan to go – and when you plan to return. In fact, it doesn’t hurt to get to know the concierge or a friendly local resident; not only are they familiar with the area, but they might also know which areas and activities are truly worth it . . . and which ones you may wish to avoid.
Finally, be alert at all times. Maybe you’re walking in an unfamiliar part of town and realized that the same person has been following you in and out of the past five stores you’ve visited. Or perhaps you noticed dark storm clouds in the sky. Paying attention to your surroundings can allow you to detect when you might be entering a dangerous situation.
But what if you’ve done your best to remain safe, and you still find yourself in questionable circumstances? Do any and all of the following:
- Move to a brightly-lit, well-populated area,
- Return to the group you are traveling with,
- Find someone to help you (store worker, security guard, etc.),
- Follow directions from emergency personnel (in the event of an evacuation, accident, or severe weather event), and
- Press the button on your personal safety device while you wait for help to arrive. (And if you don’t have a personal safety device? Read on to learn more!)
Don’t Leave Home without this Safety Device
One of the easiest ways to ensure peace of mind so you can fully enjoy your travel is with the assistance of a personal safety device. Silent Beacon developed its personal safety device for that reason – to allow travelers the ability to summon assistance in seconds with the touch of a single button.
The Silent Beacon is a lightweight, Bluetooth-enabled device that fits easily into your beach bag, pocket, or purse. With a press of the easy-to-push button, the device pairs with the Silent Beacon app on your Smartphone or tablet to send alerts to friends, family, and emergency personnel. These alerts can take the form of emails, phone calls, text messages, or all three!
Once you activate an alert on the Silent Beacon, all of your pre-stored contacts will be made aware that you are in distress. Then, through GPS technology, emergency personnel can pinpoint your location in real-time, to find you quickly and easily. And with the Silent Beacon’s voice activation feature, you can remain in touch with your contacts the entire time as you wait for help to arrive on the scene.
Best of all, the Silent Beacon’s $99.99 price tag is all-inclusive: no expensive activation, membership or cancellation fees. And as for the Silent Beacon app? It’s 100% free!
Get Going
Now… enjoy your vacation! Just remember to follow these safety tips, and arm yourself with the Silent Beacon: the perfect travel companion, working domestically and internationally for whatever trip you plan.
