With the upcoming school holidays, most parents will be taking time off to rest, relax and have some bonding time with their children.
With so many places to visit around Malaysia, families will be packing up their cars and start traveling to different cities and states, and sometimes even across borders. This can be a stressful period filled with traffic jams and worry about protecting our homes. So, to ease our fears a little this coming school holiday, there are some sensible precautions Malaysians can take before beginning their journey.
Here are some friendly reminders for Malaysians this school holiday:
- Secure your doors and windows
Spend some time to formulate a checklist of things to do before leaving the house, and stick to it. This decreases the odds of forgetting something important. Invest in good quality padlocks and keep a spare set of keys somewhere safe. Also, home alarm systems and CCTV cameras greatly increase security.
- Inform family members and trusted neighbours
Having another pair of eyes watching over the house not only gives travellers some peace of mind but allows them to be immediately updated in case of emergencies.
- Keep social media posts to a minimum
Almost anyone and everyone are using various social media platforms nowadays. The urge to post pictures, location tags and even holiday journals online should be kept to a minimum as it could be disadvantageous to let strangers know that you are far away from home.
- Place a stop order on your mail if possible
With the rise of email and other digital communications platforms, the excitement of receiving traditional mail is something many of us may relate to. However, letting mail pile up in your letterbox or at your front gate is an obvious giveaway that no one’s home. Hence, place a stop order on newsletters and newspapers and prepay all utility bills should you be planning to go away for an extended period.
- Trim your garden
This is perhaps the most overlooked precaution. Proper gardening indicates that the home is being cared for and provides the illusion that the house is not vacant. If you have unkempt grass, growing weeds, unraked leaves and the like, burglars will be more confident to enter your home.
Similarly, folks on the road often run into a hiccup or two in auto-related matters. Though veteran drivers will likely have taken necessary measures to ensure a smooth journey, many drivers may still forget a couple of essentials. Thus, a few important notes to make are:
- Don’t procrastinate on getting your car serviced
The thought of waiting for a couple of hours in the car service centre lobby can inspire procrastination. Nevertheless, drivers should make sure to take this important precaution to prevent unwanted breakdowns, flat spare tyres, or even air conditioning failure.
- Fuel up with the best quality fuel to keep your running at its best and with the best possible fuel consumption.
- Know your car
Before leaving your home always, always, always double check your tyre pressure, oil levels, radiator water levels, and that your lights and wipers are functioning. You know your car best, hence, you should take note of irregularities and address them immediately. During the festive season, there may be fewer mechanics to come to the rescue too, so, better be safe than sorry.
- Understand your insurance policies
Car insurance provides an added sense of security to a driver. But not many drivers understand the extent of their coverage. Take some time out of your busy schedule to go over your policy. Alternatively, looking for new insurance coverage for the festive season can be wise as it would probably give you a better deal.
- You’re on Malaysian highways- 4 hours can turn into 5, and then into 6 or even 10
Don’t fret when Waze notifies you that your trip is going to take longer than planned, or is rerouting you from your usual roads. Look at the scenic route as a new adventure. It’s not often that road trips come around, so make the most of it. You do not want to be in an accident like this one pictured below……or drive into one.
Following these simple tips will increase your comfort and sense of security throughout your travels, and reduce the likelihood of unwanted hassles.
This school holiday season, the team at Liberty Insurance Berhad wishes you a free of worry, fear and also a safe trip with your family.
