Safety tips for parents of teen travelers

Graduating from high school is a significant milestone in the lives of young people. The next step for many teenagers after graduating from high school is to go off to college. But before teens make their way to college campuses, some may celebrate their graduations by traveling overseas without parental supervision for the first time.

Whether it’s through a school-sponsored program or a graduation gift, overseas trips can be life-changing experiences for young people. Doing so without mom and dad in tow allows them to experience the sense of independence they will soon enjoy as college students.

While teenagers may look forward to traveling abroad, the parents they’ll leave behind will no doubt experience some anxiety as their children travel thousands of miles away. But parents can take certain steps to reduce that anxiety without making trips less enjoyable for their sons and daughters.

· Stay in (digital) touch. Thanks to social media, parents no longer need to sit at home imagining what their wandering youngsters are doing in foreign countries. When sending children on overseas trips, parents can purchase international service for their children’s phones so kids have access to social media websites and apps via their phones. Parents can then communicate with their children through such apps, asking kids to check in at the end of each day through direct messaging.

· Enroll youngsters in STEP. STEP, or the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, is free to U.S. citizens and nationals. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the service is invaluable to overseas travelers who, once enrolled, will receive important information about safety conditions from the embassy in their destination countries. It also makes it easier for embassies to contact travelers in case of emergencies like natural disasters, civil unrest or family emergencies.

· Make copies of travel documents. Before teens head overseas, parents should make multiple copies of important travel documents, including passports, travel itineraries, travel reservations (i.e., flight, hotel, etc.), and any bank and/ or credit cards teens will be using while overseas. This can help local authorities track travelers who have gone missing or help those travelers who have been victimized by thieves or criminals. Keep a copy of these documents at home and give teens a copy of each document to take with them as well.

· Document your teenager’s medical history, including medications. Parents no doubt know their children’s medical histories backwards and forwards, but teenagers may not be so familiar, and, even if they are, that familiarity won’t be too useful if kids are unconscious. Create a file that documents your child’s medical history, including all medications the child takes and any allergies he or she has, and make sure kids travel with it at all times. Medical practitioners overseas will find this invaluable if they need to treat teens.

· Discuss safety and overseas laws. Before kids head off, parents should have a lengthy discussion about safe travel and the importance of obeying laws in their destination countries. Make sure youngsters know to avoid walking alone at night and to resist strangers’ offers of food or drinks. In addition, teenagers should abstain from consuming alcohol even if it’s legal for them to do so in their destination countries, as their low tolerance for alcohol can put them in precarious positions.

Overseas travel can change the lives of young people for the better. But parents of teens traveling abroad without parental supervision for the first time should work with their children to ensure they’re safe for the duration of their trips.