Going on vacation? Don't let down your guard

Always put safety first
Hundreds of holidays and vacations can become nightmares because of behavior, accidents, alcohol, and drugs.  Almost 3,000 Americans are arrested overseas every year, many for possession of very small amounts of narcotics.  Accidents account for hundreds more victims, including drowning in pools and the ocean, car wrecks, jet skis, and falls from buildings.  Many threats exist to any vacationer who doesn’t put his personal safety above his desire to party.

Alcohol and injuries go hand in hand.  During spring breaks the average male reports consuming 18 alcoholic drinks per day and the average woman 10 such drinks per day. One half of all men and 40 percent of all women drank until they became sick or passed out at least once.  If you’re drinking, don’t do it on an empty stomach and for guys, limit yourself to one drink per hour and for women, one drink per 1 ½ hours. 

Drink a soda or two. Don’t mix your drinks (e.g., beer and rum) and if you slur your words, walk funny, or feel sick, stop drinking. You can’t drink yourself sober, but you can drink yourself into the hospital or worse.  Car accidents, alcohol intoxication, broken limbs, and date rapes are all the results of alcoholic abuse. Alcohol is involved in the three major causes of death among young people in America including homicide, suicide, and accidents to include alcohol poisoning. 

Many see spring break as a time to blame their behavior on the booze, the music, or even the moon. Your natural inhibitions may become fuzzy or even disappear when you believe that the party climate gives you an excuse not to be safe in all regards. Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise around the world.  In the U.S. alone, millions of new cases of genital herpes, one of the major causes of cervical cancer, are identified every year. 

We know, but can unfortunately forget, that some types of sexually transmitted infections, to include AIDS, can result from just one unguarded night of fun. Were you to be the victim of a sexual assault, do not expect a great amount of help from your hotel or local law enforcement in second- and third-world countries. Hotels will be quick to suggest you immediately go home to preserve their “reputation” while local police may explain the long process that you must go through to identify and prosecute your assailant. Their implied message to you is “Be glad you’re alive, count this as a learning experience, and pack up and go home.” Case closed as far as they’re concerned. 

Predators waiting for their next victim
And the predators?  Well, they continue to prowl.  There’s always another plane landing with people just looking for fun, a continuing source of potential victims for such predators.

Just like you know the amount of time that you can spend in the sun before you burn, you should recognize the pitfalls that await those who don’t know their own limitations, who don’t set boundaries, and who violate the rules of safe traveling.  No one wants to cramp your style and keep you from having a good time on break or vacation. 

When you’re in an unfamiliar location and perhaps under the influence of something or someone, your chances of becoming a victim rise exponentially. Be smart and be safe. Good judgment and being responsible for yourself and your travel companions can help to insure that you get everything out of your vacation that you seek. But nothing more. 

Clint Van Zandt is a former FBI agent, behavioral profiler and hostage negotiator as well as an MSNBC analyst. His Web site, www.LiveSecure.org, provides readers with security-related information.

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