Keeping Safe Whilst You're Travelling

by Ciaran Oliver
(London, UK)

"For safety is not a gadget but a state of mind." ~Eleanor Everet

Thinking about your safety is not something that crosses our minds that often, but when we are travelling to a foreign land or far from home we should be prepared for the occasional mishap that crops up.

Photo provided by gnuckx select1 - Flickr

There are a few simple steps that you can take to make sure that your trip is as stress free as possible, after all most of us are trying to get away from stressful situations not add to them! So lets start at the beginning of our trip, leaving home. If your are leaving your property empty whilst you're away it's always a good idea to inform a trusted neighbour or relative to keep an eye on your property and make sure that it?s secure. One simple idea is to use light timers to give the impression that the property is being used while you're away. Remember to lock up properly, many burglaries are due to unlocked doors and windows.

Before you set off it's wise to make sure that you are covered by the proper travel insurance policy for where you are going. Always keep a copy of your insurance policy with you and have access to a copy if you lose the one you are travelling with. A great tip is to copy all your important documents to Google documents online; it's free and is accessible wherever you are in the world.

Money is a something that we all have to deal with in some capacity on a daily bases while we are away, so deciding the best way to handle these needs is a good preparatory step. Pre-paid credit cards are a new comer to the market but are proving popular; you are only liable for the amount that is loaded onto the card thus cutting your liability. You can also "top up", these cards whilst you're travelling from your main bank account, so you're not carrying too much cash around with you.


Listen to the local news: might seem a little odd but if there are civil unrest problems or large demonstrations planned it might be wise to avoid these areas. Local knowledge of what is going on is common sense and it's always wise to know what is going on further along your route so you can plan to either avoid or postpone activities and trips. If your travelling to an area that is known for real danger it's always to inform people of your planned route and when you'll arrive at a destination. Loved ones can only report you missing if they know you really are missing! Always make sure you have a fully charged phone and you have all the relevant phone numbers that you might need.

There are no full proof ways of keeping 100% safe but things like letting people know your planned routes and having all the relevant documents to hand if the worst should happen will help make your trip run smoothly and keep you relaxed and smiling. Hopefully these simple steps have jogged your mind into making some plans before you leave.

This article was brought to you by Yale home alarm systems. Yale are committed to ensuring consumers have enough information and knowledge to make the correct industry choices.