It’s that time of year again: spring break! College students and families all over the country are taking vacations and enjoying warm weather together. But what should be a fun and care-free time can easily go wrong with an accident, traffic tickets, identity theft, home robberies and more.
Don’t let your spring break turn out to be a spring bust. Here are the top 6 things you need to watch out for on your spring break vacation and at home and how you can protect yourself:
1. Drive Responsibly.
Each year, the Texas Department of Public Safety increases its patrols to coincide with Spring Break. State troopers issue more than 25,000 tickets and make more than 1,000 arrests for suspicion of driving while intoxicated during Spring Break. To avoid a DWI/DUI, be responsible and never drive under the influence. If you have had something to drink, call a cab or a friend, or use a ride-sharing service such as Uber or Lyft.
2. Avoid Speed Traps.
With increased patrols across the state, drivers should be aware of potential speed traps. Be on the lookout for sudden
drops in speed limits and monitor your speed on overpasses. The best defense against getting a speeding ticket is to drive the speed limit.
3. Guard Critical Documents.
It’s always important to guard critical documents while traveling. Once you have arrived to your destination, put them in a secure location. Before leaving home, remove all unnecessary documents—Social Security card, bank statements, medical records, etc.—from your wallet or purse.
4. Protect Your Home.
When leaving your house unattended for an extended period of time, ask a friend or neighbor to keep an eye on your
home. Be sure to put a hold on your mail so thieves do not notice when you are away.
5. Review Bank Statements Frequently.
Throughout your trip, and even weeks after you return from a trip, check your bank statements on a regular basis for any unusual charges.
6. Keep Your Devices Secure.
While checking your bank account on your phone, tablet or laptop, always log off when you are finished. Before you send personal information over a public wireless network, see if your information is protected. If you use an encrypted website, it protects only the information you send to and from that site. If you use a secure wireless network, all the information you send on that network is protected.
A good legal insurance policy can help protect you from these problems and the costs they can cause. Identity theft, traffic tickets, DUI/DWI defense are just some of the issues covered by Texas Legal. To learn more about our affordable legal plans, including the cost and coverage information, find out more at TexasLegal.org.