“Prepare for the weather at your destination, not where you live.”
Practical Holiday Travel Safety Tips
👍 Tune Up Before You Turn Out.
👍 Expect the Unexpected.
If you don’t already have a 48-hour emergency bag in your car, now is a great time to get one put together. In the interest of being concise, we’ll refer you to read Decisive Items Vital to Auto Safety for a list of all the items that you should be carrying in your car to stay safe in case you were to be stranded or stuck in a huge holiday traffic jam.
Most of these items are already in your home so gather them together in a backpack and put them in your trunk in case you need them. At the very least, you should carry a comfortable pair of weatherproof walking shoes, an extra blanket, a battery back-up for your cell phone and form of self-defense protection in your car at all times.
👍 Out of Sight. Out of Mind.
Keep wrapped presents and valuables out of sight. This goes for in your car while travelling as well as in the home that you left empty.
Before you lock up and leave to visit mom, do a quick look over of your home and make sure that nothing valuable can be seen from your windows if a burglar were to peer inside your home.
If you’ve got gifts under the Christmas tree, tuck them into the hall closet or under the bed. Tidy up and put any jewelry on your nightstand in drawers. As the old saying goes, “Don’t dangle a carrot in front of the rabbit unless you want him to take it.”
“Epic weather on either end of your trip can leave you with hotel reservations that may not be used or airline tickets that may need to be changed.”
👍 Plan Ahead to Minimize Airport Stress.
Arrive early to the airport. Plan to leave your home even earlier than you normally would to avoid being stressed out at the airport. Traffic will be heavier. Parking will be harder to find and further out. Baggage check will take longer. The TSA security line will take longer.
👍 Consider Travel Insurance.
Consider purchasing travel insurance if you have booked airline or hotel reservations. Epic weather on either end of your trip can leave you with hotel reservations that may not be used or airline tickets that may need to be changed.
👍 Notify Your Neighbors.
Get your neighbors on board with your travel schedule. Be sure to have your neighbor’s phone number in case of an emergency and ask them to keep an eye on your home while you are away. Ask them to collect any packages you are expecting to be delivered so they are not left sitting on your porch while you are gone.
If your neighbors are really nice, you can ask them to move your car in the driveway a few times while you are gone so it appears that someone is still in your home.
👍 Leverage Technology For Your Safety.
Use technology to your safety advantage. Monitor your security system remotely. Set your house lights to turn on/off at different times. Use apps like Waze to check your route for any accidents or traffic jams. Use your airline’s app to do preflight check-in.
Applying just a few simple precautionary safety measures can not only keep you and your valuables safe while travelling but greatly decrease your stress level in the process. The staff at Defense Divas® wants to wish each and every one of our customers a safe, blessed and magical holiday season.
“Carrying a bug out bag in your car will guarantee you have emergency supplies if you're ever stranded.”
CAR EMERGENCY KIT CHECKLIST
Spare tire and jumper cables
Phone charger/backup power
Any require daily medications
Self-defense (stun gun, pepper spray, or other)
Weatherproof, warm and comfortable walking shoes
Extra blanket
Bottled water and protein bars
Umbrella and waterproof jacket
$100 cash in small bills
Give the gift of safety this holiday season. Defense Divas® carries a diva-worthy selection of self-defense products for women including Stun Guns, TASER® devices, Pepper Sprays, Concealed Carry Purses, and Campus Safety products.
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