Discover on-the-go safety and health essentials to pack for travel this holiday season. 

The holiday season typically means a lot of traveling, whether it’s a long drive to your relative’s home or a flight to celebrate in another part of the world. With all these plans for being on-the-go, there are precautions to keep you and your loved ones healthy and safe this holiday season.

During the fall and winter holiday season, spending time with family is usually top of mind. Gathering for Thanksgiving dinner or watching all the kids open their gifts on Christmas morning is what families look forward to all year. As the excitement to travel to and from different locations rises, it’s important to keep health and safety top of mind, as emergency room visits increase by 10% during the holiday season.

Fortunately, there are simple safety precautions you can take to keep your family safe while traveling. Here are the top six tips.

On the Go Safety & Health Essentials for the Holiday Season

1. Pack for Self-Care

The excitement surrounding traveling can make us overlook packing the essential items we need to get through the day. It is important to remember to pack your self-care essentials, like vitamins, medications, an eye mask, earplugs, or anything you may need during your travel journey to ensure you upkeep your routines.

2. Plan in Advance

The holidays are known as a busy season for travel. You can expect delays, heavy traffic, and crowds everywhere. It is important to plan for challenges you may face in advance, like picking an off-peak time for travel to avoid the crowds, having flexibility in your schedule for sudden changes, or packing extra clothing and essentials for cancellations and delays.

3. Practice Road Safety

Considering the region or regions you may be traveling to and from, it is pertinent to consider the weather conditions and traffic you may encounter before you get on the road. It is important to prepare your vehicle for the winter weather conditions you may encounter and stock your vehicle with emergency supplies, like a first aid kit, jumper cables, flashlights, and more. Also, the driver must pay full attention, for the winter season brings a high risk for drowsy and impaired drivers.

4. Prepare for Public Transportation Safety

As you prepare to travel by plane, bus, train, or any form of public transportation, precautions from winter respiratory illnesses are needed. You are still encouraged to wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands, and sanitize your area.

5. Get CPR Certified

Did you know that nearly 1,000 people experience cardiac arrests each day in a home or residence setting? One of the best ways to be prepared to help save a loved one in an emergency situation is CPR and First Aid knowledge. Taking a simple CPR class could make you the hero someone needs down the road.

6. Remember Where Your Luggage Has Been

It is important to keep your bags and luggage away from high-touch places during your holiday vacations and when you return home. The surfaces your luggage may touch can carry various germs from the floors to the hotel beds, and anywhere in between. If possible, you may want to use a disinfectant wipe to clean your luggage after each use.

If you or a loved one find yourself in an emergency situation this holiday season, NW Indiana ER & Hospital is here to provide advanced and compassionate care, no matter the illness or injury. Our facility is open 24/7, even on holidays, to have you feeling better quicker with our expert staff and state-of-the-art emergency room with an onsite laboratory. Your neighborhood ER & hospital has you covered!

Disclaimer: As a service to our readers, NW Indiana ER & Hospital and Nutex Health state no content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinic