Holiday travel safety questions parents should ask before booking

A grief expert is urging families to look beyond price and location when planning holiday trips, warning that unfamiliar rentals, hotels and travel settings can raise safety risks. The checklist focuses on transportation, room security, emergency access, crowd conditions and water hazards.

Why it matters: - Holiday travel puts millions of families into unfamiliar settings where safety features are not guaranteed. - AAA says nearly 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the holiday season. - The CDC lists motor vehicle crashes, homicide, suicide and water-related deaths as top non-natural causes of death while traveling. - Parents traveling with children face added risks if lodging, transportation or nearby hazards are not checked in advance.

What happened: - Melissa Hull, a certified heart-centered grief and bereavement specialist, is urging parents to ask safety questions before booking holiday travel. - Hull said people often focus on price and proximity to activities, but should also ask questions that could reduce family risk. - Hull lost her son to drowning and has built her grief work around helping others recognize dangerous situations and cope after tragedy. - Hull directs readers to her website, more information, where she offers free tools and other resources.

The details: - Transportation safety should include checking for seat belts, a strong driving record and safe vehicles. - Families with small children should bring a car seat or confirm access to a compliant one. - Inside a rental or hotel, parents should ask about carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms, childproofing, balcony and stair security, adjoining rooms and locks. - The surrounding neighborhood and physical location should also be reviewed before booking. - Families should find out how close emergency services are before arriving. - Parents should check whether crowds will be present during the stay and what kind of crowd they may encounter. - Water safety should be reviewed for pools, hot tubs, ponds, lakes and other nearby water. - Hull said drowning is one of the most common tragedies experienced while traveling, and prevention can reduce the risk. - Vacation planners can start with online reviews, then contact property owners for more details. - Travelers can also call local police non-emergency lines to ask about area and property safety. - Hull said many of these precautions are routine at home, but travelers cannot assume they are already in place away from home. - Hull said she is willing to help people do a safety assessment for their trips.

Between the lines: - The checklist reflects a broader shift from trip convenience to trip risk screening. - Hull's message ties practical planning to her grief work, framing prevention as part of family protection rather than just travel logistics. - The emphasis on rentals, hotels and nearby water suggests that the biggest dangers are often environmental, not just transportation-related.

What's next: - Families planning holiday trips can use the checklist before booking and before arrival. - Hull says her website offers free tools, and her book is sold through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target and other major retailers. - Hull continues to speak publicly about grief, safety awareness and living after loss.

The bottom line: - Holiday travel safety starts before the reservation is made. Parents who ask a few extra questions may lower the chance of a preventable tragedy.