If your family happens to be flying or driving somewhere warm and sunny for spring break, we have a few safety tips for you!

1-Have a family member or neighbor check on your house.  They can bring in your mail or newspaper, turn on some lights, check that there are no water leaks anywhere, water your plants, and even take your dog out if your dog doesn’t handle being kenneled.  Your family has a routine with lights on and off, noises coming from inside the home (many families keep a tv or radio on while they’re gone), etc.  Nothing screams “no one is home” like a mailbox overflowing with mail and a pile of newspapers on your porch.

2-If having someone check on your house daily isn’t an option for you, invest in timers to turn your lights on and off for you at their regular intervals.  Stop the newspaper, and go online and have the USPS hold your mail. You can even set it to have the old mail delivered all at once when you return. You’ll save  yourself a trip to the post office to pick it up.

3-This isn’t a home safety tip, but a driving tip: have your vehicle serviced before you drive thousands of miles.  Change the oil and filter, have your fluid levels checked and topped off. Air your tires to the proper inflation. Check your insurance policy. Do you have emergency roadside assistance? Allied Insurance provides roadside assistance to all household members even if they’re passengers in a car that they don’t insure! What a relief to know that your (almost) adult child would have a number to call if their friend’s vehicle broke down on the way to PCB.

Lastly, some experts warn about posting pictures on social media advertising you’re far from home on the beach! Set your privacy settings to “friends only” if you must post and be cautious.

Above all else, have fun and enjoy your time away~