OC Sheriff’s Office providing Thanksgiving Safety Tips

The busiest travel day of the year is Wednesday and the busiest shopping time of the year is set for this weekend as well. With Thanksgiving Day just two days away, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is providing some tips to help keep you and your family and your property safe over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. AAA Carolinas is reporting that 1.2 million Carolinians (700,000 in South Carolina alone) will be traveling 50 or more miles from home, with 630,000 of those in South Carolina traveling by motor vehicle. Wednesday and Sunday are the days in which the most traffic on the roads is anticipated. Combine that with the fact that traffic volumes will be high on Saturday as fans will be making their way to Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia for the annual Palmetto Bowl between Clemson and South Carolina and motorists can expect plenty of company on the roads during the upcoming weekend. “Planning ahead of time is always recommended before you travel and this pre-planning can possibly eliminate some headaches before you hit the road,” according to Jimmy Watt, Public Information Officer for the Sheriff’s Office. “Make plans right now to make sure your vehicle is ready for travel by checking your tires for proper inflation. Make sure your belts, hoses, brakes and your vehicles fluids are in good shape before you head out. Planning out your trip and knowing how you will get to your destination is always important, including how long you anticipate it will take you to travel to your destination. Make sure your family and friends are aware of the route you have chosen to travel and when you are leaving and when you anticipate arriving. Make sure you cell phones have a full battery or you have a way to charge your phone in case you have to call for help and in case you are stuck in traffic or do have vehicle problems where you could be delayed awhile, place some extra clothes, blankets, food and water in your vehicle in case you need it. We also recommended leaving early on Wednesday and even on Sunday as that could save you some time traveling and prevent you from being delayed. Traffic volumes on Wednesday will increase as the day goes along, with the normal peak travel time between noon and 7pm tomorrow. Always remember to be patient and courteous, as the possibilities of accidents will increase with the volume of traffic on the roads. Please also celebrate the time with your family and friends responsibly and always have a designated driver and do not drink and drive. Also, wear your seat belt and don’t text or e-mail while driving or do anything that could distract you while you are behind the wheel.” In regards to shopping this weekend, some retailers will be opening their stores as early as Thanksgiving Day. With the increased shopping time and hours, the potential for theft could be on the increase. Even though some retailers will have increased safety procedures in place, Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw recommends that you always have a personal safety plan in place and consider the following safety tips while you shop this weekend: Don’t buy more than you can carry. Bring along a friend to help, or ask an employee or another shopper for assistance when carrying packages to your car. Shop with only one credit card. It simplifies canceling purchases. Credit cards are considered generally safer than debit cards. Also to prevent fraud while shopping online, consider using only one credit card as well. When you use your credit card, make sure you get it back after using it to pay for your purchase. You may want to consider removing items from your wallet that you will not need for your shopping trip. Those items include Social Security Cards, Debit and Credit Cards that you will not use, medical insurance, and other ID cards other than your driver’s license or state issued ID card. Also, don’t carry more checks than you need if you plan to pay with this mode of payment. Never leave your purse, wallet or phone unattended. Deter pickpockets by holding these items close to your person. Have your keys in hand when approaching your car, and remember to check the backseat before getting in. Have a plan for meeting at a pre-designated area in case you become separated from your children. Put purchases in the trunk if making multiple stops or if you are traveling. Obey the laws; drive the speed limit, stop at stop signs and don’t park in handicap spots. Be mindful of pedestrians, especially children. In regards to a personal safety plan, be familiar with your surrounding at all times and know where the exits are located in case you need to find them in a quick manner. If you see something suspicious, such as an unattended bag or package, notify a store employee and contact your local law enforcement agency immediately. Sheriff Crenshaw is also offering the following safety tips to protect your homes and property if you plan to be away for Thanksgiving: Make sure your burglar alarm system is activated before leaving and putting signs and window decals of an alarm system on your windows is a good idea. Many alarm companies have aps and information on their websites that allow those who are away to monitor their alarm systems while they are away. Make sure your exterior motion lights are working, especially at the corners of a residence. It might be a good idea to install motion lights if you have not already done so. Also, you may want to place timers inside your home to activate lights, television sets and radios at various times during the day. You may want to leave a TV or radio on at all times and put radios on all talk stations. Also, consider installing game cameras on your property or one of the many camera systems that are activated when someone rings your doorbell that sends a message to your phone so you can view who has rang the doorbell, whereupon you can speak with them. Make sure all your doors and windows are locked and having dead bolt locks on all exterior doors is a good idea. Placing beware of dog signs on your property, even if you don’t own a dog. Have someone pick up your mail or newspapers. You may want to a call your postal carrier and have the mail stopped for the time you are away and call your newspaper provider or carrier to stop newspaper delivery while you are away too. Don’t post on social media sites that you are gone and don’t post pictures of your trip on social media sites until after you return home. Don’t record that you are out of town or on vacation on your answering machine. Have a friend, family member, or neighbor check up on your home while you are away, or ask someone to house sit for you while you are away. If you see something that looks suspicious around your neighbor’s home or property, contact law enforcement immediately. Always remember: If you see something, say something! Do not place presents or expensive items, such as jewelry or electronics, in plain sight in your homes that are visible through windows. Lock presents and expensive items in a room in your house that has a door lock on it. You may also want to consider calling the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office or your local law enforcement agency if you live inside the city limits of a municipality to check on the possibility and availability of extra patrols in your neighborhood while you are away. One bit of information you can pass along to law enforcement would be what vehicles should be on your property. “If you plan to stay at home this weekend or stay within the confines of Oconee County to celebrate with your families and friends, please know that the Sheriff’s Office will have our normal and routine law enforcement operations going on and we will be monitoring the roads and shopping centers,” says Sheriff Crenshaw. “Dispatch will be staffed as normal and will be available to handle calls for service, so if you have an emergency or need law enforcement to respond to where you are, we will be ready to respond to those requests.”