Summer is a fantastic time to travel with your loved ones and make new memories along the way. However, taking a summer trip also increases your risks of identity theft and the potential for motor vehicle accidents. Follow these tips to keep your vacation happy and safe:
- Leave the credit cards at home. While charging expenses to your credit card is very convenient, paying cash will not only save you a lot of money, it will greatly reduce your risk of identity theft. If you must bring credit cards, bring only the ones absolutely essential.
- In 2014, the Federal Trade Commission received 332,646 identity theft complaints, making identity theft the number one type of complaint for the 15th year in a row.*
- Make sure your car is good to go. Before pulling out of the driveway, your vehicle needs to be road-trip ready. That means filling your tires with air, making sure there is enough oil, fixing any mechanical issues, and – of course – a full tank of gas.
- Pack the necessities. Even on the most spontaneous of road-trips, there are certain items that should be readily available; a flashlight with charged batteries, an emergency blanket, a map, and a rain jacket are crucial elements. Buy a prepackaged emergency kit or assemble your own. It should include bandages, gauze, anti-bacterial ointment, aspirin, and a thermometer. Remember, if you’re using your phone as a GPS, there are many areas that get offer little to no reception, so print out or write down the directions to avoid getting lost.
- Never drive impaired! Vacation can be a tempting time to let loose and have fun. But, if you are intoxicated or drowsy and get behind the wheel, your impaired driving can lead to accidents, injuries and even fatalities.
If you find yourself in a situation this summer that requires legal advice, contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced attorneys. We offer convenient meeting time at any of our four regional offices in Albany, Troy, Saratoga Springs and Schenectady, NY.
The Hacker Murphy legal team is available 24/7 for emergency situations by calling (518) 663-6015.
(*Insurance Information Institute, http://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/identity-theft-and-cybercrime)