Holiday Travel Safety Tips: Protecting Yourself During Seasonal Journeys
With a brutal hurricane season ongoing and the holidays coming up, we want to remind all our friends in the law enforcement community to travel safely at this time of year. It’s great to relax and unwind for the holidays, but you want to stay relaxed. It would help if you still tried to travel safely while staying ready to assist others. Here are some ways to protect yourself during seasonal journeys.
Staying Safe on the Road
The hurricanes have been a good reminder about the importance of old-fashioned paper maps. Google Maps is a convenient smartphone tool, but what happens if cell phone service is suddenly unavailable for an entire region? Keep paper maps in your vehicle to get you to and from your destination if needed.
You don’t need to carry as much gear in your civilian vehicle as in a patrol car. Leaving that suit of Riot Gear for your vacation is probably safe. (At least we hope it’s safe to leave it behind.) You should, however, keep an emergency kit and some tools and supplies for winter travel in your vehicle.
A set of jumper cables (at least 12 feet long) is good to keep in your vehicle if you need to help someone else. A fully-stocked first aid kit and a flashlight are also highly recommended. Carry about three days’ worth of snacks and drinking water in case you break down in an isolated area while traveling. Blankets, a tow rope, gloves, and some kitty litter or sand for better traction are all good ideas. Ready.gov has a complete checklist of items to keep in your vehicle for safe travels.
Before You Leave
Before you leave:
- Let a trusted friend know your destination and the best number to contact during an emergency.
- Ask if they can monitor your place while you’re gone.
- Remember to ask the postal service to hold your mail if you’ll be traveling out of the area for a week or longer.
Staying Safe in a Strange Area
Don’t assume you’re safe from being a crime victim because you work in law enforcement. Follow much of the same advice as you would give a civilian. Stay in well-lit areas, and don’t travel alone after dark. Walk confidently and keep your head on a swivel to deter potential thieves. Consider carrying a dummy wallet that you can toss to a mugger if they pull a gun on you. Limit the number of valuables you have when leaving the hotel room.
Cell phones are a favorite target for pickpockets and thieves. Before traveling, install a “find my phone” or similar GPS tracking app on all the family phones. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that you can run in case there’s an emergency.
Check the local laws and regulations regarding personal defense weapons. Non-lethal options like pepper spray are legal in most (but not all) locations. Carry what you’re comfortable with and what’s legal for the area you’re traveling to unless it’s a particularly low-crime area and you’re not worried about trouble showing up.
If you’re traveling overseas, know where the nearest US embassy is located or how to contact the US State Department in an emergency.
You’ve earned your vacation. No matter where you’re traveling for the holidays, have a plan and the tools to make it a safe trip for you and your loved ones.