10 safety tips to remember if you're traveling out of the country for spring break

1 year ago 5

Planning to hop on a plane and jet somewhere outside the U.S. this spring break?

Maybe you're going to Mexico, Jamaica or even the Bahamas?

If so, you'll want to consider these safety tips before jet-setting somewhere outside of home.

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Here are safety tips to keep in mind.

Book a reputable hotel
Remember beach safety
Figure out transportation plans, especially if you're drinking
Be cautious of the ATM
Keep an eye on the weather forecast
When it comes to social media, avoid posting personal details and whereabouts
Keep your valuables safe, including your passport and other identification
Use the buddy system and look out for each other
Learn the laws of the country you are going to and memorize some emergency words
Try not to act like a tourist, even though you are one

Try to book a hotel that is in a central location to the places you will be visiting. This will make it easier to get from place to place if everything is within walking distance. (Cedric Ribeiro/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

1. Book a good hotel

Booking a safe, reliable hotel is important, whether you're traveling within the United States or to a different country. You can lower your chance of any unwanted surprises when you arrive at your hotel by taking a look at the reviews beforehand. This should give you a fairly good idea of the kind of place you might choose. You can also scroll through pictures and see what people have rated the hotel.

It's also wise to try to book a hotel that is in a location close to where you plan on visiting during your trip, according to the American Safety Council. With most things in walking distance, you won't have to worry too much about finding rides from location to location.

The ideal floors to be on when staying in a hotel, according to the site, are between the second and fourth floor. Being on the ground level leaves you more susceptible to a break-in compared to those on higher levels. On the other hand, if you're too high up in the building, it could be more difficult to reach the bottom if a fire were to happen.

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2. Remember beach safety

During the month of March, beaches around the world are heavily congested with spring breakers.

Make sure to pack your sunscreen and lots of water — and be aware of your alcohol consumption while at the beach to avoid dehydration. (iStock)

Make sure to choose a beach with lifeguards on duty. Drink lots of water throughout the day to keep yourself from getting dehydrated in the hot sun.

Avoid going too deep into the water and be aware of rip tide. If you happen to get stuck in a rip tide, the American Safety Council recommends swimming parallel to the beach instead of against the tide, as that will cause exhaustion very quickly.

While at the beach, the pool or outside in general, make sure to wear sunscreen at all times. Try to skip overindulge in drinking, especially while in the sun.

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3. Figure out transportation plans, especially if you are drinking

Make sure you have plans for how you'll travel once you reach your destination. If you intend on consuming alcohol, you'll especially want to make sure you have a ride.

If you are going to have to travel further than walking distance, have a plan in place for how you'll get from location to location. (Alberto Ramella SYNC/AGF/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

4. Be cautious of the ATM

While taking cash out at the ATM, be aware of your surroundings. Check to make sure there isn't anyone lurking while you type in your information and retrieve the cash.

The American Safety Council recommends that people not carry too much cash and pay with a credit card as much as possible. If people see you paying with cash, it may be assumed that you have a lot of it — and you could become a target.

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5. Keep an eye on the weather forecast

Make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast while on your trip. If you frequently check the forecast, you can plan accordingly and avoid getting caught in a storm or dangerous weather situation.

6. When it comes to social media, avoid posting personal details and whereabouts

It can be very tempting to post all sorts of details about your getaway with your social media followers, but be sure not to overshare.

You don't have to post everything on social media during your vacation. For safety purposes, keep specific details to yourself. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Keep your exact whereabouts to yourself and avoid putting specific information on your social media accounts. Post all the fun places you visited after your trip — to avoid being found while you're there.

7. Keep your valuables safe, including your passport and other identification

Keep all your valuables either on your person or locked up in a safe in your room. This includes your phone, wallet, passport and any other identification. You'll need to exit the country easily when your vacation ends. Make sure this is possible by keeping identification hidden at all times.

8. Use the buddy system and look out for each other

If you're traveling in a group, keep an eye on each other. Don't walk around alone and always try to be with at least one other person at all times.

Walking along and finding adventures can be tempting to do alone, but you should avoid this while in another country.

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9. Learn the laws of the country you are going to and memorize some emergency words

Before you head to a different country, do some research on the laws in the country you are going to. Since every country has different laws, it is important to know how they differ from the United States. Make sure that you know the emergency number for the country that you are in.

When traveling to a different country, know the laws of the country you are traveling to. It also is a good idea to learn some key phrases in the language the country speaks in case you need to communicate. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

In addition to this, if you're traveling to a non-English-speaking country, ADT recommends familiarizing yourself with some emergency words in the language the country uses, so you can communicate if you need to, at least minimally.