|
|
|
Tips for Traveling Safely (away from home)
Carry proper insurance documentation: When Americans travel to Canada, they should carry with them a "Nonresident Interprovince Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card." The card, which is obtained from the traveler's American insurance company, proves to Canadian authorities that the traveler is covered for liabilities incurred in Canada. The card is free and valid until the insurance policy expires. Buckle up, and make sure your belongings are secured in the vehicle: Emergency personnel can tell you horror stories of how relatively innocuous things such as cell phones, corners of tissue boxes, books -- and even unsecured family members -- can become dangerous missiles in the event of a crash or rollover. Make sure everyone is buckled in properly. Make sure all belongings are secured in SUV cargo areas (use a proper cargo net or cover that is designed for your vehicle). When packing diversions for your child, secure as much as you can, and avoid packing heavy or sharp-edged books or toys. Have your car serviced before you go: Are the child safety seats tightly adjusted, and do they fit your children appropriately? Is there one seat belt for every older passenger, and do they work properly? Do you have a working spare tire and the equipment needed to change a flat? Do you have booster cables, two quarts of oil, extra windshield wiper fluid, duct tape, flares, coolant, a flashlight, and a basic tool kit? Has your car been properly serviced (transmission, air-conditioning, tires (for leaks, nails, and tread), cooling system, oil and filters, brakes and steering)? Take a moment to take the Safe Driving Test and find out if there are any driving mistakes you can stop making. Remember that distraction is the number one cause of vehicle accidents. While packing, put what you'll need close enough to reach, and if you decide you need to reach for something else, STOP the car first. Find out what's not allowed on airplanes: Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, airlines have dramatically altered what they will allow you to carry on. We don't offer information on this here because we expect requirements to change with time. You can check with the Federal Aviation Administration for guidelines, but we also recommend you check with your airline (some airlines have stricter requirements than others). Do your research: Before you leave -- especially before you leave for another country -- do your research. Find out about necessary vaccinations, if you and your children will need extra medical insurance, where you can stay, what the weather's like, what the dangers are, where the fun is, where you can go for help and guidance. Protect eyes and skin. Be aware that everyone with you isn't getting the same dose of sun, and also be aware that the sun can burn skin through car windows. Protect your children's skin and eyes by using car-window shades (or by hanging a cloth or towel from the top of a rolled-up window). Make sure everyone next to windows uses sunscreen and sunglasses. If you have to park in the sun, cover dark seats, vinyl seats, and anything metal with a towel to keep them from getting hot. Do not EVER leave a sleeping child in a vehicle while you look around, pay for gas, get a drink, etc. The interior of vehicles can heat to dangerous levels in just minutes. Be wary of hotel child care: Some hotel child-care programs aren't licensed, and let's face it: it's hard to properly check out a program and the caregivers when you're trying to do it quickly on the road. If it's critical that you have child care while you're traveling, do some leg work before you leave. Call the hotels you plan to stay at and ask questions about their program. Call licensed daycares in the areas you plan to visit to find out if any of them have drop-in policies and room for your child. Consider looking into referral programs such as Child Care Aware, and also visit our pages on Child Care and Caregiving for helpful tips and links on child care. International travel: In an effort to combat child abductions by parents, U.S. policy requires the signature of both parents on the passport application of any child younger than 14. (Be aware that babies need passports, too!) Parents with sole custody may still apply for a passport for their children, and children 14 and older can apply for their own passport. Additionally, a parent leaving the country with a child should carry a signed, notarized letter from the absent parent authorizing the international travel of their child. Wash hands a lot: Airports and airplanes are notoriously germ-filled -- and often contain "sick," stale air. You can't do much about the sick air, but make sure you wash everyone's hands with soap and warm water frequently -- especially after using the bathroom and before eating or drinking. Use wipes for in-between washings, and don't let your children put their mouths on anything, or put anything in their mouths that you haven't given them. Make sure everyone gets enough water to drink: Sometimes when a schedule is unusual, people (especially children) forget to drink enough liquid. Airplane air can dehydrate you especially quickly. Dehydration will affect everyone's ability to be pleasant, so make conscious efforts to drink more water. See our Dehydration page for more. Also, remember that the sun might be stronger where you're going, so make sure you give yourself and your little ones extra sun protection (hats, sunglasses and sunscreen), and perhaps come inside early. Make sure you can recognize your children if they wander away: Always know what your children are wearing. Keep up-to-date photos of them in your wallet. Make sure everyone is wearing brightly colored clothing so that they're easier to find, put names and contact information on the inside of their clothing, and tie a large colorful ribbon on your stroller and diaper bag so they're easier to distinguish from others. Have backup plans for finding each other or for getting help if someone gets lost. Make sure everyone knows a code word and that no one goes anywhere with a stranger who doesn't know it. See our pages on Abduction for more. Stay with your children: Don't ever allow your children to play by themselves -- in the hotel, at the beach, in a store, in the swimming pool, outside the lobby, in the workout area, -- or anywhere else out of your sight. Remember that children are easy to grab, and a girl (or boy) of baby-sitting age is especially attractive to a dangerous predator. If you lose sight of your children even for a moment, it could very well be for ever. Label the inside, not the outside of clothing. Put the child's name, address and contact number on the inside of clothing -- not on the outside (this helps prevent a dangerous person from using your child's name to lure the child away). One traveling mother in California put information including her name and cell phone number, her child's name, and a place to meet on a small plastic luggage tag and attached it to the child's belt loop. We like this idea, as long as the child's name isn't visible to a stranger. Have first-aid essentials available: Obviously, you'll be limited in what you an carry on an airplane, but if you're driving, your vehicle should contain at least these items: blanket, flashlight, tire jack, spare tire, booster cables, extra water, extra food, extra clothing, toilet paper and tissues, cell phone and charger, emergency information and numbers, change for a phone call and paper and pencil for writing instructions or directions. A package of baby wipes can be helpful for cleaning off faces and hands, and for cleaning up small spills. You also should have a good-quality first-aid kit that includes items such as chemical ice packs, antiseptic ointment and wipes, gauze pads, sterile eye wash, hydrogen peroxide, rubber gloves, a thermometer, safety pins, sterile cotton, scissors, non-allergenic adhesive tape, adhesive bandages, tweezers and acetaminophen or ibuprofen. See Safer Child's Packing Checklist for more suggestions. Don't draw attention to your cash or jewelry: Don't allow anyone to see large amounts of cash or jewelry. Don't leave packages, suitcases or other valuables visible in your vehicle -- or unattended at airports, hotels or stores. If you're a single woman (or mother alone with a child) who is about to enter an area with a single man already there -- or if you're somewhere and a single man is about to enter -- be alert to your instincts. If you have doubts, excuse yourself politely and leave. Don't worry about seeming rude (if the man is friendly, he will understand -- and if he isn't friendly, you have made a wise decision). Use this philosophy everywhere -- at playgrounds, restaurants, Laundromats or stores. If you have a bad feeling about a situation or about someone -- leave quickly and firmly. Let your natural instincts guide you. Teach your children to do the same.
|
|
Safer Child, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with federal tax-exempt status. Please note: 1) External organizations listed herein do not necessarily endorse Safer Child positions, nor do we necessarily endorse theirs. We list them as a courtesy and aren't responsible for their accuracy, completeness or content. 2) We recommend you maintain a healthy skepticism when reviewing information on the Internet; it might appear to be reliable -- yet actually be false, misleading, incomplete, out-of-date and/or intentionally harmful. 3) There might be material on the Internet that you disagree with or find objectionable; preview all sites before viewing them with your child. 4) We are not responsible for external addresses/phone numbers changing without our knowledge. 5) The information and commentary on this site are not substitutes for professional advice from your doctor, lawyer, or mental health professional. 6) Requests for permission to republish, copy and/or distribute any material found on this Web site should be directed to Safer Child, Inc.
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Safer Child, Inc. All rights reserved. |
