As Thanksgiving approaches, more and more people will be traveling in the next few weeks for holidays and family vacations.
If you’re traveling by air this holiday season, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the best place to go for accurate flying information. Before you leave the house, confirm the proper type of ID that will get you through security, your options if randomly selected for a pat down, and any other travel questions you have.
TSA also provides options to speed up your travel time. TSA PreCheck is a new program used in some airports across the country to speed up your time through security checkpoints. Through TSA PreCheck you don’t have to remove your shoes or liquids, and children 12 or younger are automatically allowed through with you. TSA also offer an app, MyTSA, you can use to check real time operating statuses at U.S. airports.
If you’ll be spending a lot of time on the roads this holiday season, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has lots of information on proper child safety while driving, as well as specific information for Thanksgiving holiday travel and driving safely during pre-holiday festivities.
Before hitting the road, you can also find out about road closures and national traffic information from the Department of Transportation.
If you plan to travel abroad, the State Department provides a free service for U.S. citizens: the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP lets you enter your trip information before you travel, so in case of an emergency abroad, the State Department will be able to assist you faster and more easily.