By Emma Noah
Should we find ourselves needing to travel, be it for work or just for vacation, it’s important to make sure that we’re doing so safely. There are many dangers that lurk everywhere- even in the safest of countries, you still need to employ caution. To give you further tips on traveling safety, here’s a quick list of the most important things you need to keep in mind:
Let Your Friends and Family Know Where You Are
Among the most important things you need to do when traveling, is to let your friends and family know that you’re going elsewhere. Of course, this goes beyond just telling them you’ll be off somewhere. Tell them exactly where it is you’re headed, what time you’ll most likely be arriving on location and how long you’ll be staying there.
You’ll be surprised by how many accidents were prevented or mitigated because family or even friends knew where their loved ones were. In the case of an accident, they know where to respond. And by letting them know of your timetable, they have a better understanding of where you should be at certain times of the day. This better helps them know when to contact you or where they can expect you to be.
Develop a High Situational Awareness
Whether you are staying a while abroad for work or leisure, you might consider renting a car there for your convenience. While this is okay, you must make sure to be educated on that country’s traffic laws and regulations. In Japan, they actually drive on the left. If you somehow forget this during your first time driving there, you might end up counterflowing or worse, getting into an accident. If this ever happens (even in your home country), make sure you have a road accident lawyer who will help you sort things out.
As for other instances when spending time abroad, because you are still trying to understand a foreign culture, you have to be observant. Learn their social rules, get to understand a bit of their behavior as a country, and be able to respond to those cues properly. Just because you are a foreigner in a country does not actually excuse you from their laws. Be vigilant, respectful, and willing to learn.
Make Sure You Know Enough About The Place
You can’t just simply waltz into a place, expecting everything to fall to your benefit. Making the effort to know the location you’re going to helps you in choosing which routes or paths to take and the best form of traveling in said location. And it also helps that you’ll discover the choice spots to relax or take a breather.
Along with knowing enough about a location, it’s important to not act like a tourist. This doesn’t mean you should be pretending to be a local, but it simply means not be naive. Don’t wander around and act like a fish out of water. Observe what the locals are doing and stay with them. Being in crowded areas has its dangers (something you need situational awareness for), but at the very least, there are people nearby who can help you should anything amiss happen.
Secure Important Paperwork and Documentations
Traveling without the necessary paperwork is simply an invitation to be arrested- especially if you’re traveling overseas. Even if you’re just traveling domestically, having your IDs with you will help in proving your identity and purpose of travel. Carry them with you, perhaps in a secure pocket or purse.
Accidentally leaving your IDs or passes in your hotel room will make your experience difficult, as your access to certain locations might be barred because of a lack of authorization. This is particularly important when traveling for work, which would then affect your actual performance. So always remember to bring your IDs and other important paperwork around- or at least a copy of them, if the genuine version is something that needs protection.
Other Tips:
Only Connect to Secure Networks. Cybersecurity is another thing that we need to keep in mind. Connecting to public networks will compromise your personal data, leaving you open to identity theft or even hacking.
Protect Your Belongings and Lodging. Make sure you book your lodging far in advance. It helps to make sure that they have a lockbox or something similar as well. Bring your own secure traveling bags, ones with safety locks or built-in GPS trackers so you can feel secure when going out.
Have a Point Person. A friend, a coworker, whoever it is as long as you trust them- that’s enough to make traveling safer. By having a local point person, you can move around safely because there’s someone familiar with the location.
