OC Sheriff’s Office offering Holiday Safety and Travel Tips

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is issuing some safety and travel tips for the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s Holidays so citizens will be safe as they celebrate with family and friends, explains Jimmy Watt, Public Information Officer for the Sheriff’s Office. “AAA Carolinas is forecasting that 1.4 million citizens of South Carolina will be traveling over Christmas and New Year’s for the time period of Saturday, Dec. 23, through Monday, Jan. 1, with 1.3 million of those traveling by motor vehicle on the roads. This will of course include those who will be traveling to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl and to Tampa for the Outback Bowl to follow Clemson and South Carolina respectively during this bowl season. Please remember that travel at this time of the year is a little different than what you see normally during Thanksgiving when a lot of individuals travel on the day before Thanksgiving and then the Sunday afterwards. A lot of folks travel at various points during this 10 day or so time period but the bottom line is there will be times when you will have plenty of company as you head out.” Watt offers these travel safety tips if you are preparing to drive to your destination this holiday season: Pick a good time to travel, usually before or after the morning or afternoon rush hours. Sometime traffic volumes are lower during the actual day of a holiday. Make sure that the tires on your vehicle are properly inflated and make sure to check your vehicles fluids, brakes, belts, hoses, battery and wiper blades to make sure they are in good working order. Map and plan out the route you will be taking and how long it will take you to get to and from your destination. Make sure your friends and family members are aware of this information. Make sure your cell phones have a full battery and always have a car charger in your vehicle. In case you do have a roadway emergency, have some non-perishable food and water in your vehicle along with some extra clothes and some blankets as well. It is also a good idea to make sure that you have your car jack with all the necessary tools and a properly inflated spare tire in case you have to change a tire when you travel. Look out for an increased law enforcement presence during this time period. If you plan to drink alcohol to celebrate this year, please select a designated driver and don’t drink and drive or plan to stay at your location if you can overnight. Also, make sure everyone in your vehicle is buckled up and watch your speed. Always pay attention to the road and do not let yourself become distracted by anything when you drive, especially by electronic devices. Even though there is normally a suspension of non-emergency highway construction work during this time period, be prepared for the possibility of lane closures and lane shifts and a reduction in the speed limit in those areas. Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw is also offering tips to not only protect your home and property but also for you to stay safe while shopping not only at stores but also online as well: If you are going to be gone from home for the next several days, put your lights on an automatic timer and make sure you set your home security system before leaving. Have a neighbor or close friend or family check up on your property and have newspaper and mail delivery stopped. Also, do not leave any keys to your residence or buildings on your property outside. Turn on lights and music or the TV in your home to give the appearance that someone is there and make sure all doors and windows are locked. Place gifts in places in your home where they cannot be seen from the outside. You may want to put them in a location where you can lock them up. If possible, be sure to plan to be home for deliveries of items ordered online or have them delivered to your workplace. At malls and shopping centers, park in well-lit areas as close to the store you are going into if possible and always be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you lock your vehicle doors and keep all windows rolled up while you are out of your vehicle. Also, place shopping bags in your trunk and not in plain view. Also, if you see something suspicious, notify law enforcement or security as soon as possible. If you see something, say something. Pay with one credit or debit card for all items if you can and make sure that you take those cards with you when you leave a store. Also, report all missing credit or debit cards and checkbooks immediately to law enforcement so a report can be filed. Call the bank or your financial institutions to cancel those accounts as well. Shop with friends, family or with a group. There is always strength in numbers! Also, place wallets inside a coat or in a front pocket of your pants. Carry purses close to your body as well. Also, have your keys in your hands as you prepare to enter your vehicle and check inside of your vehicle as well before you get in. If you are shopping with children, make sure to have a plan in case a separation occurs and if it does happen, teach them to avoid strangers but only speak with a store employee, a security guard or a law enforcement officer. Make sure they know certain information, such as their parents name, their address and cell phone numbers if possible. Before shopping online, make sure all security updates are completed on your computer and make sure your computer has security software installed that prevents viruses, spam and malware from attacking a computer. Also, do not provide personal or financial information and passwords, unless you initiate the contact. “Finally, if you are going to remain at home for Christmas and New Year’s in Oconee County, please know that our dispatch will be staffed as normal and will be available to handle calls for service and we will have our normal and routine law enforcement operations right through the holidays. So, if you have an emergency or need law enforcement to respond to where you are, we are ready to respond,” said Sheriff Crenshaw.