5 Safety Tips for Summer Travel

Summer is here and it’s time for families, friends, and solo adventurers alike to explore. Whether it’s a road trip or a flight overseas, here are five things that you might not think of that can help make your trip safer and worry-free.

Emergency Contact

Make sure someone you trust knows where you’re staying while you’re traveling and when you expect to return. Whether it’s getting in touch under unexpected circumstances or just knowing when you’ll be back, letting someone know your travel details is a good plan in case of emergency. These might be the same folks grabbing your mail or watering your plants, so they can keep an eye on your place while you’re gone as well.

Unexpected Circumstances

Check weather and travel advisories before you leave. Even if you’d never think of canceling, knowing what’s in store at your destination can help you better prepare (whether that’s vaccinations for overseas trips or packing differently for trips closer to home). But do keep in mind that weather can change, so don’t just pack for the forecast.

Insurance

One of the things you want to consider a little further in advance of your travel is whether you need insurance. This often depends on how far you travel (e.g. your domestic healthcare may already cover you anywhere in your home country but you should check first), what kinds of activities you’ll be undertaking (e.g. skydiving and other dangerous activities mean you should probably get insurance), the current state of your health (e.g. you might want to take extra precautions if you’re pregnant), and what existing coverage you have (e.g. through credit cards or other programs). Make sure you understand exactly what coverage you have before you leave and, if you’re traveling with your own vehicle, make sure your car insurance is up-to-date as well.

Privacy

You should probably wait to post on your social media accounts until after you get back home. Depending on your privacy settings, posting from the road on social media (or, worse yet, posting your specific plans before you go) lets everyone know that you’re not home, so it’s safer to just do it when you get back. Another little privacy tip you might not think of is with luggage tags – it might be better to just put your phone number instead of your street address, lest some crafty potential burglar is within range and manages to identify that lovely home you’re leaving for a while.

Sun Safety

Most summer vacations involve sun, so make sure you’re well-prepared before you go. While it can be tempting to pick up things at your destination, it never hurts to make sure you’ve packed a hat, sunglasses, and some sunscreen just in case you don’t find everything you need to be safe and comfortable. Plus, make sure you stay hydrated (if you’re flying then consider bringing an empty bottle through security that you can fill up before you get on the plane, as they rarely give you enough onboard).

There are of course many other things to think about depending on the nature of your trip, but the five tips above cover some sometimes-missed scenarios that can help make sure you’re traveling safely and with the peace of mind your vacation deserves.