Safety isn’t always top of your mind. That’s especially true when you get into the swing of everyday life. You’re less likely to notice ways you could be putting yourself and your family at risk when you’re used to doing the same things at the same times every single day.
Don’t let the grind of everyday life be the reason why you find yourself in trouble! There are many quick and easy things you can do to make you and your family safer in your everyday life.
Pay Attention on the Road
Driving is the most dangers thing that most of us do on a daily basis. However, most of us don’t treat it like the dangerous activity that it is. From speeding to texting while driving, there are many things we get used to doing behind the wheel that we shouldn’t. Cut out the distractions and follow the rules of the road so you can increase your chances of getting to your destination safely.
It’s even more important to pay attention to your safety if you ride a motorcycle. Motorcycle fatalities occur 26 times more frequently than passenger car fatalities. Many of those fatalities occur because the person driving the motorcycle wasn’t properly protected. Every time you hop on your bike, make sure you’re wearing a helmet. It’s even better if you wear thick, protective clothing, as well as close toed shoes.
Always Lock Your Doors and Windows
You may think it’s obvious that you should lock all of your doors and windows, but even people who diligently lock the front door every time they leave the house can leave their property open to burglars.
There are many sneaky ways burglars can break in, including through your upstairs windows. Many people forget to lock upstairs windows, and some even leave the house without closing the windows. All windows should be closed and locked whenever you leave the house.
How secure is your garage? Never use the factory code, and change your code every so often. In addition, you should always lock the door to your home that’s inside your garage. If a burglar manages to get into your garage, they won’t be able to get into your home if it’s locked.
Keep Your Important Personal Items Close
Burglars are always on the lookout for easy ways to nab valuables, especially if you live in or go on vacation in large cities. If you keep your wallet in your back pocket or wear a backpack that’s easy to unzip, you may return home or to your hotel room to discover that your valuables have been stolen.
Keep your phone, wallet, and other valuables in your front pockets instead of your back pockets where they are nearly impossible to nab without you noticing. Hide valuables deep inside backpacks instead of using front zipper pockets, or consider carrying a backpack with hidden zippers that’s difficult for burglars to open when you’re on public transport.
Assemble Important Information in One Place
When you think about getting your affairs in order, you probably think of getting your estate organized before you die. Although this is an important thing for seniors to do, it’s an important thing for all adults to do.
Not only should you assemble information and documents pertaining to your estate plan, you should also make sure you have things like insurance information and medical documentation filed away in a place that can easily be found by a friend or a family member, should it ever be needed. That way doctors know your medical history before an important procedure and you can review the details of your insurance plan after a severe storm.
Create a Family Code Word
There are multiple ways a family code word can keep you and your family safe. When it comes to tweens and teens, a code word can give them an easy out when they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Create a code word together so if they find themselves at a party with drugs or things are starting to get scary and uncomfortable, they can text or say this word over the phone. Then, you can come and get them without them getting in trouble with their friends.
Code words can help young children too. Agree that any adult who tries to pick them up has to know this word. That way, if someone in a van swings by the neighborhood park and tells your child to hop in because their mom sent them, they’ll know to ask for the code before they get inside.
Save Important Numbers in Your Phone
You never know when an emergency situation is going to happen. Having the numbers you might need at your fingertips can ensure you get the help you need as soon as possible. Just a few numbers to program into your phone include:
- Poison control
- Local locksmith
- Fire department
- Animal control
- Doctor’s office
- Power company
- Veterinarian
- Next door neighbor
Always Assess Your Surroundings
One of the simplest, but most powerful, things you can do to protect your safety is to assess your surroundings whenever you find yourself in a new place.
For example, if you go to a concert, do you know where the exits are if there’s an emergency? How about windows and bathrooms? It’s good to know where the concession stand or an usher is so you know who to talk to if you need assistance in a personal emergency.
It’s a good idea to plan ahead with your children as well. Pinpoint a place where your child can go if they get lost so you can reunite in malls and amusement parks. If they are out with friends or playing at the park and they need help, instruct them to look for another mom they can ask.
Safety is one of those things you may not think about until it’s too late. Think ahead with the tips on this list and you can prevent a disaster from happening.