3 Travel Safety Tips To Avoid Getting Mugged
Unfortunately, wherever you go in the world, there will be thieves on the prowl. There will always be a risk of theft , and it can be surprisingly easy to make yourself an easy target.
One Size Does Not Fit All
We would love to be able to give you a one stop shop approach to avoiding getting mugged, but unfortunately we can’t do that. If and when an attack takes place, it’s impossible to know what you will do; adrenaline has a dramatic affect on our thinking, as well as our actions.
Whilst you can’t know what you will do in the moment, you can prepare yourself to improve your chances of avoiding an incident altogether. At eTravelSafety, we want to enable anyone, anywhere, to travel safely. So, here are three simple Travel Safety tips to help you avoid getting mugged on your next adventure!
Research Your Destination
You can take your first steps to avoiding getting mugged before you’ve even boarded your plane. We would always advise that you do some research into where you are travelling to. By spending just a little time on Google*, you can build a decent picture of crime trends in your destination. This information can tell you which areas to avoid, and what times of day to avoid being alone. You might also be able to find out about different scams and tricks that are popular in that area.
For a handy list of scams and tricks, and where they are popular, check out this infographic!
Take A Currency Top-Up Card
You might have heard that ATMs will offer you better currency exchange rate than travel agents or other similar services. This is normally true, but it is also true that ATMs are a hotspot for potential thief and scam artists. There are many different ways that you can put yourself at risk of getting mugged by using your bank card at an ATM.
To avoid this, take a currency top-up card with you, like a FairFx card. These cards operate just like your debit card would, which means you won’t need to use an ATM. They are also more secure than your bank card — if you are mugged, or fall victim to an ATM fitted with a thief’s card scanner, you will only lose the money that was on that card. Whilst this is not ideal, it is certainly better than losing all the money in your bank account!
Trust Your Instincts
As Travel Safety tips go, we realise this one is not very specific. However, it is an important part of reducing your chances of getting mugged. The chances are that, as you pass a certain alleyway, or spot someone in the street, you will have a gut feeling that puts you on your guard. We would always recommend that you listen and respond to that feeling.
By all means, go out and enjoy yourself as you travel; we don’t want you to spend your holiday locked in your hotel for fear of being attacked. However, it is important that you recognise that some risks are not worth taking. If you begin to feel uncomfortable going somewhere, or talking to a stranger in the street, don’t hesitate to leave where you are, and find somewhere comfortable and safe.
Easy As 1, 2, 3
This is not an exhaustive list of Travel Safety tips, and there are many other steps you can take to avoid getting mugged. However, by practising the three steps we’ve outlined for you, you can go some way to ensuring that, wherever your adventures take you, you can travel safely.
For more Travel Safety tips, and to be the first to get your hands on our groundbreaking Travel Safety eLearning app when it launches, visit www.etravelsafety.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram!
