The most beautiful time of year may often be the most hectic when it comes to vacation travel.
On today’s Dateline: True Crime Weekly episode, Andrea Canning chatted with Vicky Nguyen, Senior Consumer Investigative Correspondent, and received some year-round travel safety advice.
The entire episode is currently available for free listening.
Additionally, view a transcript of their conversation below:
Canning, Andrea:Vicky, hello. It’s good to see you again.
Nguyen Vicky:Hello, happy morning.
Canning: Let’s discuss current trends in travel. According to the majority of Americans, they intend to drive this holiday season rather than take a plane.
Nguyen: Indeed. According to a recent study conducted by Motel 6 and Studio 6, Andrea, 51% of respondents stated that they would like to drive rather than fly, although just 13% said they do plan to drive.
Canning: I concur. Having six children, for example, makes it much simpler to simply load up the car with all the gifts and the children rather than attempting to drive to the airport. Simply said, driving is simpler. However, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that, in terms of fatalities per passenger mile, driving over the holidays has the greatest fatality rate of any major mode of transportation. What can we all do, then, to keep safe?
NguyenI am aware. This figure is quite depressing. The first step is to budget for additional time. Driving in general can be made less stressful by just departing fifteen minutes sooner than usual. Similarly, make sure you’ve packed the car and get a good night’s sleep before you leave. Finally, it’s time to make sure you have your medications and snacks in your trunk and emergency pack in case you get caught in bad weather or just can’t get off the road to acquire food. Additionally, make sure you have something for your pets if you’re going with them. Along with the essentials, such as jumper cables and a portable phone charger. Have you looked for a spare tire on your vehicle? However, you should be aware of these things beforehand and be able to use them.
Canning: Yes, and make sure you have enough gas at all times. You’ve been waiting there while I’ve been stuck in a traffic jam on the freeway. You don’t want to run out of gas right now.
Nguyen: Well said.
Canning: All right, so if you’re traveling, do you have any advice on how to plan your vacation so that everything goes as planned and you don’t fall victim to any scams?
NguyenIt’s odd because, despite the fact that flying is a highly safe kind of transportation, some individuals have this phobia of it. That swindle you stated, Andrea, is the most risky aspect of scheduling a trip or holiday via plane. According to a cyber security website named Guardio, online travel frauds have increased by 900% in the past 18 months.
Canning: Whoa.
NguyenAnd AI is mostly to blame for it. Scammers may now easily create sophisticated-looking websites that appear in Google searches thanks to artificial intelligence. Therefore, you should always be sure that you have visited the URL while making a reservation on a website you have never used before. You’re checking to see if the website is secure by looking for HTTPS, which stands for security. Don’t merely click on links that you receive through social media or emails. Make sure to always pay with a credit card when you visit the actual hotel or airline that you are looking for. Not gift cards, not cryptocurrency, not Venmo, not Zelle. All of those are warning signs for fraudulent websites. Additionally, you should become suspicious if the price seems too good to be true. Andrea, my last piece of advice is to think about collaborating with a travel agency. That’s a terrific method to keep scammers away.
Canning: Indeed. We’ve all watched videos or visited airports over the holidays. It may be insane. Are there any security updates that folks need to know about? I am aware that driver’s licenses—the Real ID—will soon be required. such things.
NguyenYes. The amount of facial recognition technology that TSA and airlines like Delta are using may surprise you if you haven’t been to the airport recently. They ask whether you want your face scanned so they can identify and confirm your identity. It certainly expedites the process of crossing those security lines. And this is my response to people who are concerned about the notion that, “Oh my god.” They’re taking my photo. With all that info, what happens? The businesses claim that they remove it, that it’s simply taken—it’s used to confirm your identity—and that they get rid of it. I have faith in the system. Although I am aware that individuals are hesitant, this is a fairly quick method to overcome the lines if efficiency is your goal. In response to your inquiry on the Real ID, the updated deadline is May 7, 2025. The government basically says, “In order for you to travel domestically, we’re going to require you to have this special driver’s license that says Real ID on it.” Therefore, get your license updated if you wish to schedule an appointment with the DMV. I kept thinking it was due anyhow, so I completed it a while ago. The revised due date is May 7, 2025.
Canning: I agree. Alright. Vicky, thank you. The holidays are making everyone very thrilled. And, well, there are some very great tips.
NguyenIt is always a pleasure to be with you.
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