Tips to survive this festive season

Source: SAnews.gov.za, 08/12/2016

The holiday season is just around the corner. While for some this is
the time to pause and relax, for others, the festive season can bring
a lot of stress especially if you planning that holiday away from
home.


Many of us also tend to over indulge this time of the year and it can
thus be easy to get into debt and financial stress. We also worry
about our safety and security this time of the year due to an
increased risk at malls, beaches and on the road. So how do you make
sure you survive all the frenzy?


Here are a few safety tips to guide you:
Be vigilant
When it comes to your safety and that of your loved ones, the South
African Police Service suggests that you be vigilant at all times.
• When going shopping, never carry large amount of cash but can
instead use bank cards credit cards or electronic funds transfer to
make transactions
• Ensure that your vehicles are properly locked.
• When withdrawing cash at the ATM, do not allow yourself to be
assisted by strangers. Only seek help from bank officials.
• At public places like malls and beaches, do not leave your children
unattended
On the road
Like all holiday seasons, there is an increased risk of accidents on
the roads during December. According to the Department of Transport,
the majority of accidents are due to human error. Most of these
accidents can be avoided if you follow the following tips:
• Undertake a pre-trip inspection of the vehicle before you embark on
a journey
• Check your vehicle roadworthiness before taking a journey
• Do not drink alcohol irresponsibly. It reduces your driving ability
and you will be arrested for drunken driving.
• Texting or making a call while driving is extremely dangerous â€" cell
phones cause visual, manual and mental distraction. Stay away from
your phone while driving.
• Always wear your seatbelt, it can save your life in an event of an
accident.
• If you travelling long distances by road, make regular stops of
about 20 minutes. Grab a sandwich and stretch your legs before you
resume your trip.

Leaving home unattended
Going on holiday can be exciting especially if you taking your whole
family with you. But leaving your home unattended for longer periods
may attract criminals. You don’t want to return home from a lovely
holiday only to discover that all your valuables are gone!
• Arrange that the premises be guarded by a registered security company.
• Notify the security company of your period of absence so that they
can intensify the patrols
• Ensure that your premises are properly locked before leaving.
• Arrange where possible a relative or friend to look after your
premises during period of absence.
• Lock away valuable items in safes or store rooms.
• Ensure that your post is not pilling up in a post box which may
alert the possible criminals of absence. You can arrange with post
office not to deliver post during period of absence.
• Do not leave gates or garage doors opened during period of absence.
• Install proper security gates to deny criminals easy access to your
premises.
• Install proper alarm system that will notify the security company of
unauthorized access to your premises.
• Arrange with a relative or friend to always come to switch lights on
because dark premises also attract criminal activity especially if
left for a longer period of time.
• Arrange for garden services to continue because tall grass can be a
hint to criminals that the premises are unattended.
Safety of children at swimming pools and beaches
The number of children who drown usually increases during the festive
season. The chaos can destruct us and end up losing sight of the
children. Always ensure the safety of your children by following these
simple tips:
• Children must not be left unattended at swimming pools or beaches
• Parents must not indulge in excessive alcohol when with their
children at swimming pools or beaches.
• Children must be accompanied by adults when in vicinity of swimming
pools or beaches.
• Children must be equipped with necessary safety equipment when next
to swimming pools or beaches.
• Avoid loud music next to swimming pools because it can distract or
prevent victims when requesting assistance.
• Where possible children must undergo swimming lessons.
• When swimming pools are not in use they must be properly secured to
deny children access.
• Adults must not drink and ride their boats at dams because it is
unlawful.
And finally, do not overspend
We all want to have a good time during this period of the year. We
shower each other with gifts and spend our hard earned bonuses
spoiling ourselves. But remember it’s easy to get into financial
stress if you over spend. Remember, December is just another month,
there is January coming and school fees. Set a budget and stick to it!
â€" SAnews.gov.za