Like most people, you are already trying to figure out the quickest and easiest route to your Thanksgiving day destination. AAA projected 38.4 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more away from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend; a 1.4 percent increase over last year when 37.8 million traveled. The number of travelers by automobile is expected to be 33.2 million in 2009 compared to 32.5 million last year; an increase of 2.1 percent. The number of travelers by air is expected be 2.3 million compared to 2.5 million in 2008; a decline of 6.7 percent. The number of those traveling by “other” means, including, trains, watercraft, buses and multiple-modes of transportation, is expected to be 2.9 million compared to 2.8 million last year, an increase of 1.2 percent, AAA said.
At SmartSecurityPeople.com, we like to provide our readers with a number of security tips but we are also concerned about your safety as well. Given the large number of you that will be traveling this coming week, we are pleased to provide you with the following travel safety tips to help get you to and from your destination safe and sound.
Plan your route of travel ahead of time: Nothing makes for a rough holiday experience like being 2 hours late for Thanksgiving dinner. Get a map or check MapQuest to plan your route. Also, make sure you plan an alternate route in case you encounter construction or a traffic jam.
Travel during non-peak time: Instead of traveling the day of Thanksgiving or the day before and after; you should make your trip on Tuesday and plan your return on Saturday or Sunday. Now this tip only really lends itself to those that are making lengthy trips (4 hours or more). Those that are making day trips, really should be ok.
Get your car checked out: This rule of thumb should apply anytime you are about to make a trip. However, it especially applies at the holiday season. Take your car to your local shop and have them check all your fluids, your windshield wipers, your brakes, and any recent noises that you have been neglecting for a while. If you don’t have the time or money, check the essential things yourself. Some other things that you may want to check is: tire pressure, belts & hoses, tire tread depth.
Drive Cautiously: I know everyone is in a hurry to get to grandma’s to eat her special oyster dressing that she only makes once a year but let’s make sure you get there safely. A lot of people will be on the road and the more cautious you are the safer you and others will be. So.. drive slow, be aware of those around you, and yes..use your turn signals.
Pack a Survival Kit: This could be something simple but should be things that you can use in case you get stranded. Some things to consider for your survival kit could be as follows: Blanket, food, water, flashlight, first aid kit, etc…
Make Stops along the way: This is more applicable for those with kids. If you are taking the little ones with you, you had better plan a couple stops along the way. You can do this when you are doing Step 1 above. Also, if you are making a long drive, don’t try to be a hero and drive 16 hours without taking a break. We all like heroes but we like them better when they are not in the hospital from nodding off behind the wheel.
Drive Safer, Talk Later: Driving distractions have been around since automobiles were first created, so this is nothing new. However, with the invent of cell phones, there tends to me more accidents related to their use than usual. So, if you have to talk, please pull over and enjoy your discussion. At the very least, consider utilizing a hands-free blue tooth device to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times. Under no circumstances should you ever attempt to text message while driving. “OMG..did u c that axdent”
We hope these safety tips help you during your holiday travel. If you have additional ones that you would like to share with our readers please feel free to do so below.
From all of us at SmartSecurityPeople.com, we wish you and your loved ones a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!
The Department of Homeland Security quickly responded to the events of 9/11 by implementing processes and procedures to randomly select and screen individuals boarding airplanes. Recently, the Transportation Security Administration introduced a program that will allow them to pre-screen passenger information against federal watch lists for domestic and international flights. TSA is taking over this responsibility from aircraft operators who, up until now, have been responsible for checking passengers against government watch lists. Because each aircraft operator conducts its own matching process, the system can be very inconsistent. This is why the same passenger will often have trouble obtaining a boarding pass, or be told they are on a watch list, by one airline and not another.
By assuming the responsibilities of the watch list matching process, the TSA hopes to accomplish the following:
Decreases the chance for compromised watch list data by limiting its distribution
Provides earlier identification of potential matches, allowing for expedited notification of law enforcement and threat management
Provides a fair, equitable, and consistent matching process across all airlines
Reduces instances of misidentified individuals
Offers consistent application of an expedited and integrated redress process for misidentified individuals
Most of our readers are probably wondering exactly how this process works. While the information provided by TSA is limited, we know that Secure Flight will compare the name, date of birth, and gender information for each passenger against government watch lists. The purpose of this process is to:
Identify known and suspected terrorists
Prevent individuals on the No Fly List from boarding an aircraft
Identify individuals on the Selection List for enhanced screening
Facilitate passenger air travel
Protect individuals’ privacy
After matching the passenger information, the TSA will transmit the data back to the airline operators so that they can act upon the information appropriately(basically approve or deny your access to a boarding pass). The following is a graph of what the process entails:
Hopefully this process will help to speed up the traveling experience for all of us and provide consistent results when screening passengers. We at SmartSecurityPeople.com certainly appreciate all the efforts of Homeland Security and more importantly the good people at TSA. If you still have questions or would like to learn more about Secure Flight, the TSA has produced the following video clip and below the video are some very helpful links to additional information. Enjoy!
With the warm summer season upon us, auto owners across the nation are being exploited by car thieves. It hard to believe but apparently leaving our windows open in our cars does not only help to keep our black leather seats from turning into branding irons on our legs but it also serves as an invitation for thieves to steal our belongings …or worse… our entire car.
July is National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month and in good SmartSecurityPeople.com fashion, we would like to celebrate by providing you with the following tips for keeping your cars and belongings safe during the summer months.
Lock and Load - Always lock your car when your vehicle is unattended, and remember to set alarms or other anti-theft devices every time you get out. Close windows tightly, and don’t forget the sunroof.
Watch Those Wheels - Thieves are targeting tires and rims. Invest in locking lug nuts and park in your garage whenever possible.
Out of Sight - Keep all personal belongings, including a GPS, iPods, cell phones and other valuables, out of sight. (Also, don’t forget your change…)
Kill-Switch - Protect your vehicle from being started by a thief by having a mechanic install a concealed kill-switch.
Double Duty - Add a second layer of protection to your vehicle by using a steering wheel locking device, a steering column protector or an alarm with a visible indicator.
Keep Watch And Report Crime- Help your neighborhood by noting and reporting any suspicious activity and writing down descriptions, license plate numbers and other helpful information. If you know anything about auto theft, chop shops, carjacking or insurance fraud report it day or night to your local police department.
For those that are curious to see what the top ten stolen cars were in 2007 (as reported by National Insurance Crime Bureau), the following list may be helpful:
The NICB study confirms that theft of older model vehicles has remained constant for the past several years. Thieves continue to target these vehicles because they provide the best market for stolen vehicle parts. So, if you own one of the models listed above, you may want to think about trading it in or being extra cautious about leaving your car unsecured. However, if you don’t like your car, I guess leaving the keys in it and parking it in a sketchy part of town may help jump start your path to a new/used car.
NICB also tracks car thefts by state. You can see the top ten car models being stolen in your state by clicking here.
We hope our readers at SmartSecurityPeople.com enjoy this information. If you have other car safety tips that you would like to share, please be sure to do so in the comments section.
If you are making plans to take spring break or an early summer trip to the beautiful beaches of Mexico, you may want to think twice. You may even want to think three times before booking that vacation.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs recently released a travel alert urging all U.S. Citizens to take extra caution when traveling throughout Mexico. They state that the Mexico/U.S. Border has experienced a great deal of violence from Mexican drug cartels and innocent Mexican and foreign bystanders have either been injured or killed.
The Bureau provides the following helpful information for U.S. travelers in Mexico:
U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during daylight hours, particularly the toll (”cuota”) roads, which generally are more secure. Occasionally, the U.S. Embassy and consulates advise their employees as well as private U.S. citizens to avoid certain areas, abstain from driving on certain roads because of dangerous conditions or criminal activity, or recommend driving during daylight hours only. When warranted, U.S. government employees are restricted from traveling to or within parts of Mexico without prior approval from their supervisors. When this happens, the Embassy or the affected consulate will alert the local U.S. citizen Warden network and post the information on their respective websites, indicating the nature of the concern and the expected time period for which the restriction will remain in place. U.S. citizen visitors are encouraged to stay in the well-known tourist areas of the cities. Travelers should leave their itinerary with a friend or family member not traveling with them, avoid traveling alone, and should check with their cellular provider prior to departure to confirm that their cell phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G international networks. Do not display expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuable items.
SmartSecurityPeople.com brings this news announcement to you so that you can make an informed decision when making your vacation plans. If Mexico was originally in your top three picks for a vacation destination, you may want to look at your other 2 options and put Mexico on the back burner until the drug cartels work through their differences.
Homeland security has been a hot topic ever since 9/11. It has been the focus of a number of books, movies and congressional funding debates over the course of the past 7 years. Conspiracy theorist are still “uncovering” little known facts about 9/11 and are chiming in with their opinions regarding homeland security.
Given all of this attention, it was only a matter of time before the media sources found a different way to profiteer from the public interest in homeland security. ABC is the first to introduce a reality tv show entitled Homeland Security USA. It debuted this last Tuesday evening and will continue for the next 13 weeks. It is estimated that it will do quite well. However, ratings are expected to take a hit when Fox begins airing season 8 of American Idol on January 13th and 14th.
Those of us at SmartSecurityPeople.com that saw the previews for Homeland Security USA, quickly discounted it as another reality tv show gone bad. We made no plans on watching it. However, given a boring night of tv and no real competition in that time slot, curiosity won over and we watched the new series. I can honestly say that we were intrigued.
The show did a fine job of representing the men and women that work on our borders every day and the challenges that they face. Nothing appeared to be embellished or exaggerated and the situations were very serious and quite unlike what you would expect. It is just amazing the amount of drugs, illegal aliens, and unauthorized materials that are attempting to cross the borders and into our country every day. Homeland Security USA only provides coverage on the ones we catch, so who knows how much goes by without notice.
You can watch the show on Tuesday nights and decide for yourself if it is worthy of evolving into one of your regularly watched shows. As for us at SmartSecurityPeople.com, we will probably TIVO it and peruse the episodes in our free time (of which there is usually very little).
The Air Transportation Association (ATA) estimates that over 43 million passengers will be flying the friendly skies this holiday season. This number is apparently down by 9 percent from last year but it certainly makes you pause and think..especially if you are planning on flying to your holiday destination. If you are driving, you can skip over this article but you may want to check out our Thanksgiving holiday travel tips for some guidance.
Now for those that are flying… Here are some helpful tips from the ATA and SmartSecurityPeople.com to get you through the airports in a safe and timely manner.
If you are taking gifts, then you will want to pack the wrapping paper separate and wrap the gifts when you reach your destination. Chances are that they will need to be inspected at the airport terminal.
Use automated check-in options available at kiosks up to 24 hours before departure. Most of these kiosks require you to swipe a credit card to identify yourself and then they will walk you through the check-in process
Sign up with your airline to receive automated travel notification. They can send you flight updates right to you cellphone or email account. If your flight is being canceled, it is always good to be the first to know so that you can transfer onto the next available flight. You can also check the FAA online for any airport delays.
Program your airline customer service number into your phone. If you do have a problem with a flight being canceled, you can “jump to the front of the line” by placing that call and talking with a customer service person directly and changing you flight.
Make sure all of your government issued identification (Driver’s license/passport/etc..) is NOT expired.
Allow plenty of time for checking in and security screening at the airport. If you are traveling on some of the busiest days, you will want to plan on this taking a long time.
Familiarize yourself with what is allowed on the plane and in what quantity. If you are a frequent traveler, you probably know the rules. If it has been a while since you have been on a plane, then you will want to check out the TSA website for the rules on what is permitted.
At the security check-point, be prepared to place all of your small metallic objects in the carry on baggage. It will save you a ton of time getting through the metal detectors.
Tag each of your bags with your name and contact information (inside and out). This will be a life-saver if you become separated from your luggage.
Hope this information is helpful to our readers at smartsecuritypeople.com. We wish you and your families a safe and wonderful holiday travel season.
Like most people, you are already trying to figure out the quickest and easiest route to your Thanksgiving day destination. AAA estimates that 81% of travelers will be doing so by car this year. AAA states that 41 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles this Thanksgiving to be with friends and loved ones. This may seem like alot but actually this figure is down by 600,000 from last year (first decline in travel numbers since 2002).
At SmartSecurityPeople.com, we like to provide our readers with a number of security tips but we are also concerned about your safety as well. Given the large number of you that will be traveling this coming week, we are pleased to provide you with the following travel safety tips to help get you to and from your destination safe and sound.
Plan your route of travel ahead of time: Nothing makes for a rough holiday experience like being 2 hours late for Thanksgiving dinner. Get a map or check MapQuest to plan your route. Also, make sure you plan an alternate route in case you encounter construction or a traffic jam.
Travel during non-peak time: Instead of traveling the day of Thanksgiving or the day before and after; you should make your trip on Tuesday and plan your return on Saturday or Sunday. Now this tip only really lends itself to those that are making lengthy trips (4 hours or more). Those that are making day trips, really should be ok.
Get your car checked out: This rule of thumb should apply anytime you are about to make a trip. However, it especially applies at the holiday season. Take your car to your local shop and have them check all your fluids, your windshield wipers, your brakes, and any recent noises that you have been neglecting for a while. If you don’t have the time or money, check the essential things yourself. Some other things that you may want to check is: tire pressure, belts & hoses, tire tread depth.
Drive Cautiously: I know everyone is in a hurry to get to grandma’s to eat her special oyster dressing that she only makes once a year but let’s make sure you get there safely. A lot of people will be on the road and the more cautious you are the safer you and others will be. So.. drive slow, be aware of those around you, and yes..use your turn signals.
Pack a Survival Kit: This could be something simple but should be things that you can use in case you get stranded. Some things to consider for your survival kit could be as follows: Blanket, food, water, flashlight, first aid kit, etc…
Make Stops along the way: This is more applicable for those with kids. If you are taking the little ones with you, you had better plan a couple stops along the way. You can do this when you are doing Step 1 above. Also, if you are making a long drive, don’t try to be a hero and drive 16 hours without taking a break. We all like heroes but we like them better when they are not in the hospital from nodding off behind the wheel.
We hope these safety tips help you during your holiday travel. If you have additional ones that you would like to share with our readers please feel free to do so below.
From all of us at SmartSecurityPeople.com, we wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Since 9/11, air travel has been under the safety and security microscope. The Air Marshal agents went from a paltry staff of 33 to over 3000. The annual budget of the Transportation Safety Administration grew from $4.4 million dollars to $786 million dollars. As you can imagine, with great growth comes great responsibility and sometimes even greater headaches.
Since 9/11, more than three dozen federal air marshals have been charged with crimes, and hundreds more have been accused of misconduct, an investigation by ProPublica, a non-profit journalism organization, has found.Since 9/11, air marshals have taken bribes, committed bank fraud, hired an escort while on layover and doctored hotel receipts to pad expenses, records show. They’ve been found sleeping on planes and lost the travel documents of U.S. diplomats while on a whiskey-tasting trip in Scotland.
In reading the story from USA Today, you really start to think that Air Marshals are really out-of-line and have some serious issues. However, when you are looking at a staff of 3 to 4 thousand employees, you will find that these type of Human Resource issues are a common occurrence and not just isolated to Air Marshals.
So.. should these kind of antics make passengers feel any less safe during air travel? Have any of our readers ever encountered an out-of-line Air Marshal? Anyone know an Air Marshal?
Like most people, you are already trying to figure out the quickest and easiest route to your Thanksgiving day destination. AAA projected 38.4 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more away from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend; a 1.4 percent increase over last year when 37.8 million traveled. The number of travelers by automobile is expected to be 33.2 million in 2009 compared to 32.5 million last year; an increase of 2.1 percent. The number of travelers by air is expected be 2.3 million compared to 2.5 million in 2008; a decline of 6.7 percent. The number of those traveling by “other” means, including, trains, watercraft, buses and multiple-modes of transportation, is expected to be 2.9 million compared to 2.8 million last year, an increase of 1.2 percent, AAA said.
With the warm summer season upon us, auto owners across the nation are being exploited by car thieves. It hard to believe but apparently leaving our windows open in our cars does not only help to keep our black leather seats from turning into branding irons on our legs but it also serves as an invitation for thieves to steal our belongings …or worse… our entire car.
