It might just be Spring, but it feels like summer and the season for traveling, picnics, and adventures is right around the corner. It always seems like June and July go by in the blink of an eye and many are finalizing their Summer 2018 plans before time slips away and it’s the middle of June before we know it.
Whether you’ll be attending festivals, going on a road trip, or escaping to your favorite beach with family for some R&R, it’s important to keep these safety tips in mind for all of your Summer travels this year.
5 Summer 2018 Safety Tips
- Plan ahead as early as you can. To work out all of the logistics, book accommodations, and get the best rates, you’ll need to plan ahead. Not to mention, you’ll be more likely to forget something, miss a turn, or even miss a flight if you’re in a rush from booking a trip last minute. Sometimes it’s good to live spontaneously, but we recommend planning ahead to ensure you actually enjoy your hard-earned time off!
- Be conscious of the heat. Babies, the elderly, and pets are very susceptible to coming down with heat-related illnesses. The most important thing you can do to avoid heat-related illnesses is to drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you feel thirsty. Stay ahead of the heat by drinking water throughout the day and avoid alcohol.
- Speaking of heat, the sun isn’t only hot, but its rays can be quite harmful. Getting a sunburn increases our risk of developing skin cancer exponentially so be sure you use sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or higher and provides broad-spectrum coverage, which protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays. Follow these additional tips from the American Academy of Dermatology on when and how to apply sunscreen.
- Unfortunately, every summer we hear about children passing away from overheating in cars. Every instance is avoidable. The next time you get to your destination, turn your car off and count to 60. The temperature can increase by 10 degrees in one minute and it is never safe to leave your child in the car alone. It’s always better to be safe rather than sorry so if you have to, leave a purse or your wallet in the backseat with your child to ensure you won’t forget anything.
- Mosquito, tick, and flea bite illnesses are increasing. To protect yourself, be sure to use an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent and look for and remove ticks and flea’s daily from you, your pets, and your family.
Stay tuned to our blog as we highlight the many different areas, places, and facets of summer safety in the coming weeks. Summer can be the best season for many reasons and we want to make sure Summer 2018 is a memorable one for everyone.