5 amazing safe holiday travel tips you can't go without this year

How to stay safe amid large crowds

With Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years just around the corner, people around the world are planning to travel to visit with friends and family. Any form of travel comes with its own hazards, but Catholic Online has five top safety tips for the holiday traveler.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Holiday travels can be as simple as packing up the family and heading to the mall, or as extravagant as picking up and flying to the Bahamas to sip fruity drinks and lounge on the beach.

However you choose to spend your holiday vacation, when it comes to travel, there are a few basics everyone is already aware of, such as planning ahead and remembering to keep your cell phone charged in the event of an emergency -but what else can we do to ensure a safe holiday trip?

1. Keep an eye on your children

Though you're probably thinking "duh," remember that Christmas shoppers and travelers will be filling retail stores and airports to full capacity, making it all-too-easy to lose track of small and young children. 

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, over 466,000 minors were reported missing last year alone.

Keep your children in your line-of-sight at all times and encourage them to form a chain holding hands, with one child holding yours firmly. It also helps to make an emergency plan in the event of anyone getting separated from the group. Having a meet-up place planned ahead is an important part of any trip.

Unless absolutely necessary, children should be left at home during heavy-shopping-traffic hours; not only for the safety of your children, but also to ease tensions in an already over-stuffed outlet.

2. Maintain S.A.

Situational awareness is an important part of everyday life -and ties in closely with the previous tip.

Texting or talking while driving in an overcrowded parking lot is a recipe for disaster. Keeping all electronics out of your hands when you are behind the wheel of your vehicle is an important safety tip not just for the integrity of your vehicle and insurance premiums, but also for the people around you.

If you are at an airport, subway station, bus stop or any crowded transportation sector, remember to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. If anyone gives you reason to believe you are in danger, report them to the nearest authority figure immediately. 

3. No need to be flashy
It should come as no surprise that the thieving industry booms around this time each year. Whether you are out shopping at the mall or are visiting another country, it is wise to keep your money and jewelry hidden. There is no reason to flaunt your credit cards and diamonds amid the masses. 

Anyone can pickpocket you and in the best-case scenario you need to make a few calls to cancel credit cards. Worst-case scenario is you find yourself stranded with your family in a different country without proper documentation. 

4. Avoid the over-consumption of alcohol
Again, I know what you're thinking. "Of course I won't be drinking an excessive amount of alcohol while I'm traveling!" 

Sadly, if everyone was aware of this, it would not have made the top five list.

Any time you consume alcohol, it is extremely important to ensure you are properly hydrated and will not be operating any kind of motor vehicle until absolutely sober. If this means you need to call a taxi or friend for a ride home then do it.

Winter comes with slick roads, pedestrians, travelers, unexpected weather, pickpockets and much more. Alcohol impairs your ability to react quickly and dulls your senses. This makes you vulnerable to others and can lead to life-threatening accidents.

5. Stay Healthy!

This one is not only for the safety of your family, it is for the safety of the general public.

If you or a member of your family is ill, stay home. If staying home is not an option, invest in a face mask to prevent coughs from spreading germs to others in busy airports or retail stores. Carry a small container of hand sanitizer -and use it.

At the beginning of every cold and flu season, make sure to get the appropriate vaccinations and stay away from sick people. Remember, something as simple as touching a door handle a sick person touched, then touching your mouth or eyes can get you sick.

Maintaining your health while traveling is important. Do it.

Like our list? Check out our other top lists on finding joy, sex, lifting your spirits, dealing with anger, love,common misquotes, how to give and healing.

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