Benton County Emergency Management Services – News

June 17, 2005

General Travel Safety Recommendations

Ah, at last. School is out and vacation/travel season has begun in earnest. Today we kick off a series of travel and personal safety tips, just in time for summer.

Much like travel in adverse weather conditions, "know before you go." Find out about the airports, shuttles/taxis, connections, hotels, community, etc. before you travel so that you do not have to do more figuring out than is absolutely necessary when you are hurried and carrying luggage. Travel advisers or persons who have gone the route before can be an important resource.

If you are traveling overseas, consult the U.S. Department of State, "Travel Warnings and Consular Information" website for information about your destination countries.

Keep items that you would not want to lose to a minimum when traveling. For those items that you do carry and are especially important to you (jewelry, medication), keep them in a purse or carry-on -- close to you at all times, not in luggage that will be checked or out of your control.

On that same note, it is a good idea to keep jewelry to a modest minimum when you travel. Consider more understated and simple costume jewelry or adorn yourself with scarves or colorful ties instead. Flashy jewelry signals to criminals that you may be affluent and have more valuables with you, even if the jewelry is costume.

Carry your passport, travel tickets, credit cards and large amounts of cash discreetly and out of sight in safe pouches under your clothing. Many people recommend these items be kept on your person at all times while you are traveling. There are neck- and waist-style pouches as well as money belts and specially designed clothing items available at most travel stores. Keep smaller amounts of cash more readily accessible in a purse or inside clothing pocket. Keep purses in front and tucked tightly under an arm.

If you need to get into your travel pouches, do so discreetly so that you don't show others where you have hidden valuables or are carrying large amounts of cash.

Keep a copy of travel documents, travelers check numbers, tickets, and passport, hidden inside a piece of luggage. If you lose any of them, having copies will make it easier to obtain replacements. Also leave a copy of these important documents at home or with a trusted friend or family member.

Walk confidently: stand tall, head held high and shoulders back. Your body language can convey that you know where you are, what is going on around you and where you are going. Make calm, confident and brief eye contact with others - letting them know that you are not afraid and that you are aware of their presence. This is not a threatening, arrogant, or challenging eye contact, just a brief look. Timid, lost, confused, or fearful body language and facial expressions can communicate "easy target or victim." Remember that most criminals would prefer not to have to work too hard or make a commotion to get what they want from you. That would draw attention to their crime and potentially get them caught! Let them know through your body language that you are not a victim.

If you are confronted, it is generally recommended not to struggle with a thief. Let go of whatever they may be trying to take from you (other than a child, of course). Nothing is worth you getting hurt. Everything, except you or another person, is replaceable.

If you are being physically attacked, many safety professionals recommend that you actively resist, kick and scream and certainly never go with an attacker. Vulnerable, sometimes incapacitating places on both male and female attackers tend to be in the groin (strong kick or upward thrust with a knee), throat (Adam's Apple punch), and eyes (poke hard, scratch). Ultimately you have to assess the situation and decide which is best for you under the circumstances, and what you are capable of doing successfully.

Self-defense training can help you with knowing how to effectively defend yourself from an attacker. Many graduates of self-defense classes say that the self-confidence they felt as a result of knowing what to do was probably as great of a deterrent as the techniques themselves.

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