Taking a vacation is supposed to be an enjoyable and relaxing experience, so the last thing you want is to put yourself in danger while traveling. No matter if you’re traveling by car or by plane, and no matter if you’re staying in a luxury hotel or a hostel, there are plenty of things you can do to keep yourself safe. The following are seven ways to protect yourself while on vacation.
1. Have a Car Emergency Kit
If you will be driving to your destination, make sure that you have a car emergency kit on hand. This should include items like a flashlight, road flare, batteries, blankets, and even canned food. This way, if you were to get stranded while driving, you will be able to properly care for yourself until help arrives. You can purchase a car emergency kit at most retailers, or you can opt to make your own.
2. Keep Valuables Separate
We often make the mistake of keeping our valuables in one location, such as in our wallet or in our purse. However, if something were to happen to this item, all of your valuables would get lost. It’s very important that you separate your valuables. While you may want to keep some cash and credit cards in your wallet, it’s also a good idea to keep some in your pocket and even some in your luggage. This way, if your wallet was to get stolen, you’d still have money on hand for your travels.
3. Don’t Flash Cash Around
If you are constantly showing off just how much money you have, you’re going to become a target for theft. Make sure that you are not flaunting any of your valuables, especially cash, otherwise the wrong person will see you and do whatever means necessary to take it away. Try to keep small bills on hand and only take out what you will need to buy something. This way, you will not become a target.
4. Keep Confirmations on Hand
Every time you get a confirmation letter, email or code, keep it in a safe place and bring it with you on vacation. This way, if you get to the hotel and they cannot find your reservation, you’ll have proof the reservation was made and will guarantee you have a room to stay in. You should also do this for flights or any activities you may have booked in advance too.
5. Stay with a Group
You don’t know your way around the new location, so you want to make sure that you are always staying with a group. Never walk somewhere by yourself, as you could become the target for mishaps.
When you are walking, always stay in public and well-lit areas. This way, you will decrease your chances of getting harmed.
6. Don’t give into Distractions
Most thieves work in pairs. While one of them distracts you, the other one takes your valuables. In order to combat this during your travels, make sure you don’t succumb to distractions. It doesn’t matter if it’s an elderly couple asking for directions—it’s still possible that they are trying to scam you out of something. Do your best to be polite but turn down whatever the distraction may be.
7. Stay up to Date on Flight Safety Rules
The airlines are constantly making new rules to help keep their passengers safe, so if you are traveling by plane, it’s important that you stay up to date on flight safety rules. This way, you will always be aware of what you can and cannot bring with you on a plane as well as how to act at all times. By knowing the flight safety rules, you will ensure that you and your friends/family will remain safe while traveling.
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Meyling Lau is a partner at SEOMap.com and has lead enterprise scale SEO programs. Formerly, Mey led a variety of grassroots marketing projects for Hotels.com. Most notably Mey led the Hotels.com Expert Evaluation and Rating Program, the largest and most successful verified hotel reviews database with over one million reviews collected in under a year.