This week is National Safety Week, an annual community education campaign put on by the Child Accident Prevention Trust. The goal of National Safety Week is to empower families to proactively take steps to create safer environments for their children, both inside and outside of their homes. In honor of National Safety Week, here are some easy tips for keeping your children safe while traveling:
Before You Leave
Check weather conditions. This can help you choose the safest route if you are driving, and plan extra time for traveling if needed. It will also ensure that you pack the proper clothing and gear for your trip.
Pack a well stocked first-aid kit. It is always wise to carry a first-aid kit, but it becomes even more important when traveling. Extra adventure can also mean extra cuts, scratches and other minor injuries that can be easily protected with antiseptic or antibiotic wipes and bandages.
On The Way to Your Destination
Make sure all necessary items are going to be accessible throughout your journey. If you are flying, it is important to make sure you pack all essential medications, diapers, etc. in your carry-on, as you will not have access to your luggage throughout the duration of your flight.
Keep your child belted. Whether you are traveling by car or flying, it is very important to make sure your children are wearing the proper safety restraints. If you are flying with children under two, the FAA recommends using child restraint systems.
Once You Have Arrived
Child-proof your hotel room. Making sure your living environment is safe for children is something we consciously do at home, but it can be easy to overlook in a hotel room. When you first enter your hotel room, make sure to move dangerous items out of reach, cover exposed electrical outlets and check that all windows and balcony doors have secure locks.
Stay protected outdoors. On vacation we tend to spend more time outside, so make sure both you and your children are wearing weather appropriate clothing and sun protection. If you are going to be in area with insects, apply bug repellent to protect your children from potential infection.
Dress your child in bright clothing and choose an emergency meeting place. When visiting unfamiliar areas, one of the biggest fears for parents and children alike is that you will get separated. Even when you are keeping an eye on your children, it is not always possible to prevent temporary separation. Dressing your children in bright clothing will make them easier to keep track of in a crowd, and easier to spot if they wander away. Choosing an easy-to-find meeting place (like a particular restaurant or booth) will help your family quickly reunite if there is an emergency or if someone gets lost in the crowd.
One of the best ways to keep your family safe while traveling and within your own community is to make sure that everybody is educated about potential dangers and how to avoid them. The newest book in our award-winning What Does it Mean series, written by Chief Executive Pickle Rana DiOrio, emphasizes the importance of staying safe in a way that is easy for children to understand. Little Pickle Press will be releasing What Does it Mean To Be Safe? later this year.
What are your family travel safety tips?
8 comments:
Thank you for all of this information...I will certainly pass it on to my friends. I enjoy reading your posts and look forward to what you are going to write about next!
My family has a family whistle. It's so distinctive that no matter where we are-airports, ballgames, Disneyland-no matter how large a crowd we're in, no matter how separated we've become, we have always found our way back to one another by whistling this tune loudly. My dad started using it with us, via my grandfather, when we were very young and now we have passed it on to the next generation. It is our way of not only tracking each other, but calling attention when we're feeling unsafe, or uncertain of a situation. Family signals are a wonderful, unspoken, way of staying connected, and safe, when out in the world!
I grew up in Germany and it was quite common to see toddlers in harnesses attached to a mom. Some people criticize that it looks like the children are pets, but practical me says it's a good way to keep little ones nearby. Kids can disappear in the blink of an eye, as most parents can verify.
We are getting very excited for the release of What Does It Mean To Be Safe?, which explores not only physical safety but also emotional, social, political, and cyber safety. As this post reveals, it is a very relevant topic. This book will serve as the conversation starter between parents and children, teachers and students about many important aspects of safety. Thanks for the awareness and practical suggestions, Cameron.
Hi,
Very nice tips indeed. Well I always carry a GPS device with me whenever I am on the go. It helps me a lot. Also basic medicines of headache, cough are a boon.
Hi,
My name is Ryan. Thanks for the tips. While you are traveling be aware of 'staged' car accidents meant to catch you off card. Do not flash your passport in public. Discreetly show important documents to officials only. Have fun!
I am impressed with this great post. I also add some more information from my side is that, research the travel destination thoroughly before you book a plane ticket and select that destination which may be loved by your children. Pack all the essentials in your bag, most important basic first aid kit and also teach your children basic emergency procedures.
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