Holiday Season Safety Tips for Travel, Shopping, and Home

Airport and Travel Safety

• ✈️ Keep your boarding pass and ID face down to protect personal information like your full name and home address from public view.
• 👜 Never hang your purse on the back of a bathroom door; keep it on your body or place it beside you to prevent theft.
• 🔌 Avoid public charging stations and bring your own charger; use a VPN if connecting to public Wi-Fi to prevent hacking.
• 🔒 Secure valuables in an internal pocket to prevent them from falling out or being easily accessed.

Parking Lot and Shopping Safety

• 💡 Park in well-lit and populated areas and remain aware of your surroundings upon entering the parking lot.
• 🚗 Scan your surroundings before exiting your vehicle and consider reverse parking for better visibility and quicker departure.
• 📦 Hide personal items and packages in your car, ensuring they do not display your name and address.
• 🛡️ Carry a form of personal protection that you are comfortable and confident using, such as pepper gel or a personal alarm.
• 🔑 Make locking your car doors a habit immediately upon entering to create a basic line of defense.
• 📱 Avoid sitting in your car to text or scroll social media; do this when you are safely at home.

Home and Package Delivery Safety

• 🏡 Have a neighbor collect packages if you are traveling to avoid signaling an empty home.
• 📦 Break down large boxes from big-ticket items and dispose of them discreetly to avoid advertising valuable possessions.
• 🚪 Never open the door for anyone you are not expecting.

De-escalation and Personal Safety

• 🗣️ "Lie to survive" means you don't owe a stranger your truth; a prepared lie can prevent uncomfortable or dangerous situations.

Student Travel Safety

• 📍 Share your live location with a trusted friend or family member for check-ins.
• 📞 Establish a nightly check-in person to confirm you are home safe each day.
• 🤳 Double-check ride-share details (make, model, license plate, driver name/photo) against the app; if anything doesn't match, do not get in.
• 🥤 Do not accept drinks, mints, or snacks from ride-share drivers, even if they appear sealed, due to potential tampering.