Summer Time is Upon Us – Be Safe this Travel Season

As COVID-19 presents us with periods of calmness, the term “revenge travel” has been born.  You may have already found that hotels are sold out and vacation pricing is skyrocketing, and maybe this has provided you an indication this summer travel season will be busy.  Looking at some analytics, you were right, as The Vacationer conducted a survey that indicates over 80% of American adults plan to travel this summer, with 72% of this travel being here in the U.S.  80% of travelers are expected to drive to their destination, which means traffic safety should be on all of our minds.  General safety tips include using defensive and alert driving techniques, understanding and using your vehicle’s safety components, and bringing with you a lot of positive patience.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides tips on safe driving, and much more information on how to protect yourself while using the roads as a driver, cyclist and pedestrian.  For more information, please visit their website at nhtsa.com.

In addition to what the NHTSA has to offer, right here in Florida, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) allows driver license and identification card holders to attach emergency contact information to their accounts.  In the event of an emergency, law enforcement will have access to this information to communicate the emergency situation to your preferred person(s).  Historically, this has helped law enforcement notify loved ones of a serious crash, and successfully reconnect vulnerable adults who have had difficulty finding their destination. To register, or update, your emergency contacts you can visit the FLHSMV website at flhsmv.gov, search “emergency contact”.      

Lastly, while you’re on vacation, allow our police officers to watch over your home through our Property Check Program.  This program prompts checks by our personnel of your home to ensure it is secure.  Our officers will not enter your home, and will only survey the outside.  Visit us at wmpd.org and search “property checks”, and ask us to be your eyes here, while you’re away having fun!

From our family to yours, we wish you a fun and safe summer of 2022.