Today@Sam Article

Spring Break Safety Tips

Feb. 27, 2020
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

8DimensionsGraphicStory by: Mikah Boyd

Spring break is likely the most highly anticipated break for college students around the nation, with many planning to spend their time away from class and work, soaking up the sun or staying out late every night. While spring break should be fun, students need to be sure to recognize safety risks so that they return from the break happy and healthy.  

The Office of Health Promotion is hosting an event called Safe Spring Break, to inform students on how to stay safe. The event will highlight how alcohol consumption impacts the body and mind.

Students will take part in interactive activities such as fatal vision jenga and a fatal vision obstacle course, which uses drunk vision goggles. These activities aim to show students how heavy drinking can impair motor skills used for even the simplest of tasks. Trying to drive after drinking is a huge risk to the driver and those on the road with them.

Another tool that they will use is the Intoxiclock, which demonstrates how Blood Alcohol Content levels take hours to get back to 0.00. This example aims to inform students that even if they feel okay, they are still not legally able to drive.

Taylor Dusek, event coordinator, hopes students use the information shared from the event for real life scenarios.

“It’s important for students to know that while they are having fun, there are still risks and danger involved. Accidents can happen at any time and by taking and applying the information they learn at Safe Spring Break they can reduce the likeliness of those accidents,” Dusek said. “It’s also important for students to know that whatever happens on spring break can follow them back to school, which could have negative repercussions.”

Safe Spring Break will be held on March 5 in the LSC Orange Ballroom from 1-3 p.m. and is open for all students to stop by and learn some safety tips.

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Gene Roberts, the director of Student Legal and Mediation Services provided some helpful tips for students who are planning on travelling over the break.

  • Think about purchasing travel insurance. This is relatively inexpensive and can cover transportation and hotel cancellations and it may also pay for emergency travel back home.
  • If you rent a car, check to see if your insurance or the credit card you use will cover for damage to the rental vehicle. If not, then consider the loss damage waiver from the rental company. The loss damage waiver can be expensive, but it can help with finances if you are in an accident and the rental car is damaged. Be sure to read the fine print on travel insurance and loss damage waivers before you pay for them.
  • Be on the lookout for identity thieves. Keep control of your identification and credit cards at all times.
  • Check gas station pumps for scamming equipment and to see if they have been tampered with.
  • Be wary of “free wi-fi” and do not connect to a wireless service unless you know that it is from a legitimate source.
  • Make a copy of the front and back of your ID and credit/debit cards and keep those in a safe place before you leave home. If you need to report those stolen, you’ll need your account information and phone numbers.
  • If you find yourself in a discussion with the police, remain calm, stay still and remember that you have a right to remain silent. They do not know who you are, so you need to do everything you can to demonstrate that you are not a threat to the police, anyone around you or yourself.
  • It is important to know the laws of the state and locality you are visiting. Those laws may be different than the laws in Texas. Cities may have noise ordinances for certain times of the day and night, for example.
  • Always be with a friend and look out for each other. This practice can help prevent someone slipping something in a drink and you can help each other to not become intoxicated. If you are with a friend, be brave and intervene if you see or sense something bad happening.
  • Don’t drink and drive, whether it is a car or a boat. It’s not worth it.
  • It is not a good idea to have an open alcoholic container in your possession or near you, especially if you are under 21.
  • Pay attention to your social media. Keep your privacy settings at the highest level possible, and if someone tags you in a photo, think about whether you should un-tag yourself.
  • Make sure you know how to find your phone in the event that it is lost or stolen. Enable a ‘find my phone’ feature and practice using it before you go anywhere on Spring Break.

To get more information on student legal issues, go to the Student Legal and Mediation Services website.

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