How to Stay Safe on Your Travels

Summertime is peak travel season and so no matter whether you are holidaying abroad or staying home this summer, these tips will help you stay safe.

Flying? Choose the best airline for safety

In-flight entertainment and snacks are one thing but understanding the airline’s safety record is another. Airline Ratings allows you to search all major and small airline companies to see just how safe they are. With a star-rating system, it allows you to make the safest choice whether it’s a domestic, short or long-haul flight.

Other flying tips;

• Book your seats – statistically, the rear of the aeroplane is the safer should the worse happen…
• Listen – the in-flight briefing and read the card with emergency details of what to do
• Familiarise yourself – with where the nearest exit is

Travelling by road? Maintain high standards of driving

Being in the holiday mood means many of us relax. And no wonder because this is, after all, the whole point of a holiday or short break.

But this more relaxed approach can mean we relax our driving and safety standards too.

Here’s how to avoid the holiday ‘slump’ and stay safe on the roads;

• Daytime – it may be busier on the roads during the day but statistically, you are more likely to have an accident at night, usually due to poor lighting and unfamiliarity with the road

• Check – that any car you hire has safety belts, important in some far-flung countries where wearing the belt is not a legal requirement

• Taxi – if taking a taxi as a lone passenger, sit directly behind the driver where you are less likely to be grabbed

Health concerns? Avoid bringing home unwanted bugs and germs

When travelling abroad it is always worth checking whether you need vaccinations so that you travel safely without picking up bugs and germs.

The biggest threat to your health on holiday – and sure to spoil any time you have away – is diarrhoea. Thankfully, this can be avoided by;

• Water – buy bottled water for drinking and also use this for brushing teeth, rinsing your mouth and so on

• Be picky – about what you eat, especially when choosing food from a buffet

• Hygiene – wash your hands regularly, using wipes or hand sanitiser if you can’t get to a sink with soap and water

Terrorist attack? Stay alive

Sadly, terrorism is all too real a possibility no matter where you are going or who with.  Indiscriminate and frightening, when a terrorist attack is in progress, it can be difficult to know what to do for the best.

The Foreign Office keep travellers updated with threat levels to UK travellers in countries across the globe, check their website before leaving home.

But if you are caught up in an attack, what should you do? ‘Run, Hide, Tell’ is the advice being given to people when a terrorist attack happens.

Seek cover where you can, rather than confronting or challenging. When it is safe to do so, report the incident to the nearest police station.

As soon as you can, inform someone at home your whereabouts. If you think you need help to get home, find the British Embassy and make contact with staff there, who will be able to help.

Having said all this, the likelihood of something going wrong or accidents happening are relatively low but understanding what to do in the event of an emergency could not only save your life but others around you too.

Enjoy your holiday!