Learn 12 simple strategies to remain safe while traveling from scams, theft, and other common safety problems. These easy travel safety rules can be utilized anywhere and should be known by everyone.
Travel Safety Tips
1) Know an emergency number.
Look up the emergency services number for your destination even before you arrive. Before you go, it’s also a good idea to seek up the phone number of your country’s nearest embassy. Make a list of them or save them to your phone so that you may immediately access them in an emergency.
2) Do your research.
Before you travel, learn everything you can about your destination. For information on the safest neighborhoods, places to stay, and crime statistics, read tourist reviews and speak with locals. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and visit the State Department’s website to stay up to date on country changes.
3) Use a suitable bag.
Cross-body bags are safer than shoulder or handbags because they keep someone from grabbing your bag as they run or drive by. Slash-proof straps, RFID blockers, and locking zippers are just a few of the features available in bags designed exclusively for travelers. Purchase a high-quality bag that suits your requirements and preferences.
4) Inform your friends and family.
Whether you’re going on an overnight excursion or a month-long foreign journey, it’s usually a good idea to let friends or relatives back home know where you’re going. Before you leave, send a printout of your itinerary to a few trusted people who can keep track of your whereabouts. Make frequent contact with your contacts to ensure that they are aware of your whereabouts.
5) Use your money wisely.
According to any trustworthy source of travel safety information, carrying significant amounts of cash is never a good idea. Instead, open a bank or credit card account with an international bank or company so that you can use local ATMs. If you really must withdraw significant sums of money at once, leave most of it in your hotel or hostel safe and only carry what you’ll need for the day. Only use ATMs that are connected to banks since they are less likely to have been tampered with by scammers.
Do not put all of your money in a single account. Keep your cash and credit cards in two or three different places so you don’t go completely broke if one of your stashes is stolen.
6) It is not a good idea to wear ostentatious jewelry.
Wearing pricey, eye-catching jewelry is a definite method to attract robbers. Leave it at home, friends, especially if you’re going to a packed area!
7) Make use of reputable transportation options.
Find out which taxi companies have a solid reputation before you arrive in a new city and only use them. Double-check your driver’s vehicle information and name before getting in the car with them if you’re using an app like Uber or Lyft to share a ride.
8) Drink with caution.
This has to be one of the most important safety tips for travelers, many travelers like checking out the local nightlife, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But bear in mind that when you’re traveling, it’s more crucial than ever to drink responsibly.
You’re more likely to get lost or find up in a dangerous zone when you’re away from home, and being visibly inebriated makes you an easy target for frauds, robbery, or worse.
9) Use GPS to know where are you going.
When going to an unfamiliar location, set the destination in your GPS to verify you’re on the proper track and keep track of your progress.
If your driver deviates from the route for no apparent reason, you must act promptly and exit the vehicle.
But, if I’m in another nation, how will I utilize my phone’s GPS? When you’re traveling and don’t have access to the internet, save the map of your location to your phone to use offline. This can be done using an app such as Maps Me or even Google Maps. Consider investing in a global wireless service such as TEP wireless, which will provide you with Wifi anywhere you travel.
10) Watch your back while using an ATM.
ATMs have long been a great site for fraudsters to steal personal information from unwary travelers – but they’re also the most convenient way to receive money in the correct currency while traveling, especially if you have a debit card that doesn’t impose international transactions or ATM fees.
So, while we urge you to use ATMs, we also advise you to be cautious! When entering your pin at an ATM, cover your card with your palm and wiggle the card reader a little to be sure there is no evidence of manipulation.
Also, make sure the person in front of you isn’t too near, and if they are, respectfully request that they move back.
11) Seek advice from locals.
When you check into a hotel or hostel, inquire about which neighborhoods are safe and which are not, and make a note on your map of spots to avoid.
12) Keep an eye on your surroundings.
You should always be alert of what’s going on around you, whether you’re in a popular tourist location or walking down an empty street.
Targeting persons who are preoccupied or disconnected from their surroundings is common among would-be criminals. This is particularly true for female solo travelers.
Finally,
Don’t let your fear of the unknown keep you from discovering the world.
Every day, there are stories of unwitting travelers who have been the victims of a crime while on the road. This is a major issue that all travelers should be aware of. Don’t be overconfident and believe it will never happen to you; it can. And, to be honest, it most likely will at some time.
You’ll be well prepared and in control, if you follow these travel safety recommendations. You’ll have all the procedures in place to deal with a bad scenario, and you’ll take the steps necessary to avoid getting robbed or hurt. You’ll have a more enjoyable trip if you’re well-prepared and stay in secure places.
