Summer has arrived and brought the travel bug with it; but with crime rates rising by 35% in the warmer months, it’s crucial that travelers take safety measures into their own hands.

Whether your summer adventures take you halfway around the world or just a couple of hours down the road, reviewing these travel safety tips will help you have an enjoyable and safe trip. 

Only Pack Essential Items

It might be tempting to bring all of your favorite jewelry and expensive electronics with you, but consider leaving most of your valuables at home and packing only the necessities. 

Traveling with expensive items not only presents the possibility of them getting lost along the way, but it also makes you a greater target for theft. 

Copy Important Documents

It’s never fun to lose or leave behind important documents. Ensure you always have them with you by scanning them into a computer and emailing them to yourself prior to leaving home. In the event that you lose a passport or need an insurance card, you can easily access the information on a phone or computer. 

Store Valuables in a Secure Location

Many hotels and rental homes have in-room safes to store the important belongings you can’t leave behind. Upon arriving at your destination, familiarize yourself with how it works, and use it to lock up valuables like passports, laptops, cameras and credit cards in it when you leave the property. 

If your accommodations do not provide a safe, lock important items in your suitcase and stash it out of plain sight.

Stay in Groups

Whether you are traveling with your entire family or just a few friends, it is always safest to use the buddy system, especially in unknown locations.

If you choose to travel by yourself, consider joining a trusted tour group. Tour guides know the ins-and-outs of the area, so they can provide tourists with an excellent, in-depth experience, without compromising their safety.

Do Your Research

Always research the destination you are traveling to before leaving home. The U.S. Department of State provides tourists with a set of specialized travel safety guidelines to review when they’re considering traveling abroad.

Many countries have areas where tourists must adhere to strict dress codes, customs and courtesies, and some even have areas that are unsafe for particular demographics to travel to, so it’s crucial to always stay informed.

Don’t Forget to Protect Your Home, Too

Since the odds of a home invasion increase by 10% in the summer, it is important to consider your home security during a vacation. 

Stress less by installing Flock Safety license plate reading (LPR) cameras around your community. Flock LPR cameras see like a detective and have been proven to solve and reduce crime in neighborhoods all over the country. 

Neighborhoods can even share their Flock Safety network with local law enforcement agencies, so police will automatically receive an alert if a known suspect or stolen vehicle enters the community. That way, you can keep your mind where it belongs — on your vacation.

Reduce travel stress and ensure your home’s safety by installing Flock Safety LPRs. Get a custom safety plan from one of our community safety consultants today.