How to Protect Your Family- 5 Steps For Safe Family Travel

Dreaming of traveling the world with your kids, but concerned about safety? Follow these 5 steps to ensure a safe family travel experience.

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1. Get Travel Insurance

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is that insurance is necessary to protect our travel investments and keep our family safe on the road. Depending on the policy that you choose, travel insurance can protect your family in the event of medical emergencies and canceled trips. It also takes the sting out of minor trip mishaps, such as lost baggage and delayed flights. Check out Squaremouth to compare plans and choose one that fits your family.

2. Choose your destination carefully

Not all destinations are a perfect fit for every type of traveler. Choosing a destination that is safe and has established tourist infrastructure (restaurants, grocery stores, hospitals, etc.) can keep your entire family safe.

view of airplane wing out window at sunset

3. Practice safe driving

It’s easy to feel invincible while on vacation- we do adventure sports, interact with people speaking different languages, try new foods, and live a bit out of our comfort zones. Sometimes, this feeling can translate into risky driving behaviors, like transporting children in taxis without car seats, or driving after too many wine tastings. Accidents can happen, even on vacation, so be vigilant about car safety.

We avoid the car seat conundrum by using Welcome Pickups when traveling in Europe- they provide clean cars with safe car seats for airport transportation.

4. Be aware of local scams

Whether it is the ring scam in Paris or the motorbike scam in Southeast Asia, it seems that every tourist destination has its own creative way for separating travelers from their hard earned money. Add the distraction of traveling with kids, and family travelers are especially vulnerable to these scams. Be aware of common scams in the destination you are visiting. In general, anything that causes a distraction or seems too good to be true should be met with a critical eye.

5. Don’t drink the water….or maybe do

The most common illness among travelers is the infamous travelers diarrhea. Many destinations don’t have the infrastructure to have clean water coming from the tap. Before your trip, research the water situation in your location to see whether the water is safe to drink. If it is unsafe, you should avoid any uncooked or unpeeled fruits and vegetables, as well as ice. Bottled beverages, fruits with peels, and cooked vegetables are the safest bet.

Of course, when traveling to destinations with safe drinking water, we bring our reusable water bottles to reduce the amount of trash our family is creating.