It’s easy to travel when you’re alone. All you need is a passport and some money, and you’re good to go. You don’t need to worry about getting lost or finding a place to stay. But if you want to start traveling safely with your family, that’s when things become more complicated.
Nowadays, with the media buzzing with terrorist attacks, people worry a lot, failing to recognize more direct and frequent threats – car crashes, disease and poisoning, theft, or getting lost. According to the Association for safe international road travel, more than 3,000 people die in road crashes every day. In air travel, Transportation Security Administration reports that between 7,000 and 14,000 claims on stolen luggage are filed every year. Here are five precautions you can take to keep your family safe while traveling abroad.
#1 – Buy travel insurance
First, and most important thing to do. Travel insurance is usually not that expensive, and there are special discounts for young children, as well. It can cover medical expenses (falling down and breaking a bone on a trip can be very, very expensive), trip cancellation, lost luggage and other, various losses.
#2 – Do the research
Google is empowering. Use it to research the place you’re planning on visiting. Do they have any wildlife, or dangerous plants? If you’re visiting a more urban area, are there dangerous neighborhoods which should be avoided? How’s the food, have any local restaurants poisoned anyone recently?
#3 – Buy extra battery for the kids
Kids nowadays are inseparable from their smartphones, and as Murphy’s law wants it – they’ll run out of juice when they need it the most. Make sure to buy a portable charger (like a power bank), and tell them to use it only if they get separated from the rest of the family, or otherwise get lost.
#4 – Keep your possessions close
Pickpockets are everywhere, and they’re proficient. For example, during the 2012 Olympics, there were more than 1,700 pickpocketing incidents in London, daily. And those are just the reported ones! One of their greatest skills is recognizing who’s a tourist, and if they spot you, they’ll most likely target you. Make sure your possessions are always in your hand (wallets, smartphones, passports and other ID), and make sure it’s spread between you and your significant other. Never keep such things in a backpack or a shoulder bag!
#5 – Agree on meeting places
When you’re in crowded places, or large shopping malls, the first thing to do is agree where you’ll meet, in case you get lost. Having a notable memorial as a meeting place allows both parents and kids to relax and do some shopping. It would also be good for the parents to snap new photos of their kids and keep them on their smartphone. It can be vital information for the police, in case they get lost.
Traveling can be either an amazing experience or a nightmare. The key is to carefully research where you’re going, and prepare accordingly, with travel insurance, information about the place you’re visiting, and agreeing on what to do in case of an emergency.
This article was submitted by Ladah Law Firm, PLLC – http://www.ladahlaw.com/.
For more information on travel safety, please review these guides:
