While millions of families are busy making their summer travel plans, there is one thing that most are not considering – safety. While the focus is on all things sun and fun, many are forgetting that danger quietly lurks in the corners of every family trip. Without being mindful of it, tragedy may strike. The good news is that there are things parents can do to help make their trip safer, and still place an emphasis on fun and making memories.
“There’s no way to make our summer plans 100% safe, but there is a lot we can do to help make it safer,” said Melissa Hull, certified heart-centered grief and bereavement specialist, speaker, and author of “Dear Drew: Creating a Life Bigger Than Grief. “It’s well worth the effort to make safety a priority, so we can help to avoid tragedies.”
When school is on summer break, it is a prime time for families to hit the road or sky to have a vacation. According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, 72% of Americans plan to take a road trip this summer, with 57% of people planning to travel more this summer than they did last year. Most people who take a road trip go nearly 300 miles, while others may go further or take trips by air or sea.
While we don’t tend to think about tragedies happening while on vacation, they certainly do. When it comes to international travel, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1,500 U.S. citizens die yearly abroad. They report that the most common causes of death are motor vehicle accidents, with drowning being the leading cause of injury death to U.S. citizens visiting countries where water recreation is a major activity.
Many people who are doing summer travel will rent a vacation home, unknowingly aware of the hidden dangers in doing so. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that residential elevators pose deadly hazards to travelers, leading to deaths and injuries each year.
These are just a few of the areas of concern that most people planning family trips don’t think about. There are ways to plan for a safer trip, to help avoid tragedies, including:
- Make water safety a priority. Children are at risk around water, whether it is a pool, lake, ocean, etc. Be sure to take precautions so they don’t have free access to it, and always be mindful of watching them if they are allowed to go in the water. Whenever possible, seek out a spot with a lifeguard.
- Get plenty of rest. Vacations can be exhausting, especially if there is driving or flying involved, as well as time changes. This can lower response times, making it crucial to get enough sleep to help ensure safer driving and being more aware and responsive at all times.
- Choose destinations and places that are safer. The State Department issues warnings to let people know if a travel destination is unsafe and what to watch for if visiting there. Keep this in mind when planning destinations, so safer places can be chosen to begin with.
- Be hazard aware. This goes for staying in hotels, vacation rentals, and more. The places have likely not been set up to provide for child safety. As soon as entering the unit, look for the things that can be a hazard and address them immediately.
- Avoid bites and stings. Summer means spending more time outdoors for many people, which puts them at risk for bites and stings from ticks, mosquitoes, and bees. Take appropriate precautions to help avoid issues.
- Keep the heat and sun in mind. Be sure to pack and use sunscreen, hydration, water safety gear, lighter clothing, etc. It’s easy for people to become overheated, sunburned, or dehydrated in the summertime. Plan ahead to help avoid these things from happening.
“The truth is that not all family vacations this summer will end on a happy note,” said Hull. “It’s important that we do what we can to reduce the risks and enjoy being with our families as much as possible. That’s what it’s all about.”
Hull has become an expert in grief and bereavement after losing her son to drowning. Her mission is to help others be more aware of potentially dangerous situations and help them through the grieving process if things don’t turn out as planned. She helps people learn to move forward following tragedy with the grief that they carry. Her work is a culmination of 20 years of researching what works to help people in such situations.
Hull is not only a grief expert, but she is also a guide for fully living after loss. Her work integrates meditation and spiritual connection, energy work and Reiki, somatic and grounding practices, emotional processing and mindset work, and Dr. David R. Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness. She focuses on helping people who have experienced loss to build a life that is bigger than grief by incorporating what actually helps people move forward with it. She is also a speaker who shares her story and what she’s learned about living a full life with grief. To get more information and access her free tools, visit her site at: https://www.melissahull.com/. Her book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and other major retailers.
