I recently sat down with Wright County Sheriff Joe Hagerty and Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek to get some solid advice for our customers regarding how to stay safe throughout the summer.
As more people will be traveling throughout the summer, there are a number of important safety precautions to keep in mind.
Both sheriffs emphasized the importance of getting to know your neighbors and having them help watch your house while you're away on vacation.
"Let your neighbors know if you're going to be gone," said Stanek. "And give them your contact information in case there happens to be an emergency while you're away."
Hagerty suggested attending your neighborhood's National Night Out event as a way to get to know your neighbors. "When it comes to burglary prevention, knowing your neighbors is key," said Hagerty. "The better you know your neighbors, the better off you'll be."
National Night Out typically occurs in August. You can find information about hosting neighborhood get-togethers at www.nationaltownwatch.org.
Stanek also suggested making it look like you're home while you're on vacation. Burglars can be deterred when you do simple things like asking your newspaper to stop deliveries while you're gone (so you don't have a stack of papers on your door step), leaving a light on while you're away, keeping second-floor blinds open and even leaving your car in your driveway. I found this tip to be particularly interesting, as most people's first reflex is to put their home in "lock-down mode" before they leave.
Hagerty emphasized the importance of traffic safety, as more people will be travelling on the roads this summer.
"Wear your seatbelt," said Hagerty. "And don't text and drive. Distracted driving is almost as dangerous as drunk driving."
Hagerty also suggested ways to prevent vehicle break-ins by removing tempting objects from plain sight.
"Don't keep anything in your car," said Hagerty. "Move things like purses and wallets to your trunk."
Both sheriffs also said that when it comes to personal safety, being aware of your surroundings is extremely important.
"Know the group you're with, and have a buddy with you," said Hagerty.
Stanek echoed Hagerty stating, "Don't walk alone, and be smart about your decisions."
I also found it particularly interesting that both sheriffs wanted to emphasize that the public shouldn't be afraid to dial 911, even if you're not in imminent danger. I always thought that dialing 911 was only to be used as a last resort, but both sheriffs said that it's there for the public's use, and they shouldn't be afraid to dial it.
"We don't want you to wait until the last minute," said Stanek. "We're here to help."