7 tips to stay safe on Comrades Day

WHETHER you are heading off to support your family or friends and along the Comrades Marathon route  this weekend, be sure to follow these safety tips from Blue Security’s operations manager, Brian Jackson, before hitting the road to find the perfect viewing spot.

• Secure all windows in your home and ensure that the alarm has been switched on.
• Ensure there are no tempting items in the garden, from bicycles and garden tools like lawnmowers, hose-pipes and wheelbarrows. Jackson noted that these items can be a temptation for opportunistic criminals.
• “If you are taking children with you for a fun afternoon out, plan ahead of time on an easily accessible meeting place if anyone should get lost in the crowds,” said Jackson.
• Highway residents are urged to keep wallets and cellphones in a bag or jacket pocket that is zipped up and can’t be easily reached by pick pockets.
• “Put your cellphone in your bag when you are handling cash or paying for food to avoid dropping it or accidentally leaving it lying a the counter,” said Jackson.
• Jackson suggested that parents ensure that valuables such as iPads and tablets are left at home as he said it was a risk to leave items in a car.
• “Stay hydrated, even as a spectator, as it’s easy to neglect drinking enough water during winter, especially when you are out in the sun for the day,” Jackson concluded.