From: Virginia Tech Police Department
College is a very stressful time in a student’s life and a common stress relief is to travel on spring break. Unfortunately, predators and opportunists use the excitement of spring break as a chance to prey on unsuspecting students. By following the tips below, spring break can be enjoyed much more safely.
Traveling and Touring
- The same rules apply at spring break that always apply, such as paying attention to your surroundings, traveling in groups, and trusting your instincts. If something feels wrong, it is.
- Always use well-lit paths. Never take a shortcut through an isolated, dimly-lit area.
- Remember that some people prey on tourists because they can be easy targets. Be cautious of what you sign up for or who you trust when you are on spring break, especially in other countries where the laws are different.
- Always keep your luggage with you or within sight, especially in busy airport, bus and train terminals. If you must step away, make sure you ask a friend you can trust to keep an eye on your belongings.
- Be aware that leaving bags unattended in an airport can result in them being confiscated and you detained.
- Never leave your passport, other forms of ID or money in an unsafe place. It is best to keep this with you at all times or use a hotel safe or similar means.
- Never walk alone or get into a vehicle with someone you do not know.
Entertainment
- Keep beverages with you and in your sight at all times. If you get up to dance and leave your drink, buy a new one. Don’t allow someone else to buy you a drink unless you watch the bartender make it.
- Be aware of what you are drinking and how much. Alcohol content may be different in other countries.
- Keep your head clear to make wise decisions.
- Take turns as sober friends. Sober friends are more likely to see a threat before they walk into a danger zone and avoid it. Predators prey on the weakest target, and if someone is inebriated and is alone or in a group of intoxicated students, they become the easiest targets.
Avoid Fraud When Booking Your Trip
- Book your trip through a company you are familiar with or someone else has used and referred you to (not online referrals, but people you actually know).
- Get a contract in writing that states what you have agreed upon verbally.
- Always read the fine print.
- Be cautious in believing what you are told. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
- Make sure the dates you want to travel are the dates the tickets are issued for.
- Don’t pay in cash, use a credit card. If you use your credit card to pay and the services you contracted for are not provided, you may not be liable for the charge on your card.
- Watch out for vouchers. Steer clear of companies which ask you to redeem vouchers or certificates.
For more spring break and other safety tips, contact Virginia Tech Police Officer Geof Allen, crime prevention specialist, Community Outreach Unit, at 231-8123.
