Holiday tips to stay safe over the festive season
By Hilary Kimuyu‘Tis the season and many of us will be heading out onto the road and leaving our homes for vacation destinations. Safety is key during this time and however way you look at it there is always ways in which we expose ourselves unknowingly.
From the way you exit your home town while embarking on your holiday journey to the way you travel, there is need to beware and stay safe. Make sure you, your family and your possession are safe during the holidays.
- Secure the house
If you will be traveling out of town, make sure you lock all entrance to your apartment to avoid your house being boggled. Also, tell your neighbours that you are going away for a while. This will help them keep an eye out in case of any suspicious movement in your apartment while you are away.
- Don’t have a predictable schedule
Be as unpredictable as possible to avoid being trapped. Since your holiday may be at a location that is new to you. Remember to ask your guide for all eventualities and alternative routes to different destinations. This will ensure that you use different roads to the hotel and come in at different times sometimes even popping in in the middle of the day.
- Eat and drink responsibly
This season, there will be lot of food and drinks to be consumed. But remember that there is a limit to what your body can take. Over eating or drinking can result to serious health issues. You wouldn’t want to spend the rest of the year in the hospital bed, would you?
- Keep alcoholic drinks out of children reach.
You are likely to get carried away due to activities of the festive period. Ensure you keep alcohol and other drugs out of reach of the children. It is for their safety.
- Obey Traffic Rules
People are likely to get carried away with the frenzy and be reckless especially on the road. Ensure you obey all traffic rules while driving. Remember that disobeying traffic rules puts your life and the lives of other road users at serious risk.
- Not everything deserves to be uploaded on social media
Giving too much information on your whereabouts may just lead robbers to your home while you are away. Sharing too many and very revealing photos of your family while still on holiday may also put them at risk. Avoid giving too much details on social media and remember that your boarding passes are not for public consumption or flossing as many would term it, they could be used to track you and your luggage.
- Pop in to your home or have someone pop in unannounced
This gives the impression that you are still around despite the fact that you may have gone to a different town. Have a trusted family member pop into your home unannounced and if possible spend the night so that those planning anything may be distracted. If the town you are visiting is not so far away you may consider popping in at least once a week.