College spring break plans are in full swing this week as many local universities and colleges schedule their Spring Breaks during the month of March.
Spring break is a rite of passage for many as it is a time of youthful excitement for many college aged students.
My first experience was as a senior in High School and drinking age at the time was 18 and most of that trip was a bit of a blur I must admit. The following year while sitting out of college after high school I received a call from a buddy the day Spring Break started and ask if I would be interested in going down to Fort Myers for spring break after his friend had backed out on him. After explaining my financial shortcomings with only $50 to my name at the time, he quickly offered to pay for gas and told me he had a tent packed in his trunk.
With very little thought, I adjusted my Domino’s Pizza schedule, resigned my breakfast cook position at McDonald’s over the phone, and two hours later I was on the interstate heading south toward the Sunshine State. I can still remember the look in my father’s eyes as I passed him on the front porch carrying a suitcase and some flip flops as he was returning home from work.
As you might imagine, it wasn’t exactly the trip dreams are made of.
Without a hotel reservation, we ended up sleeping on the beach, under a tree, on top of a catamaran, on a girl’s balcony and once in the car. To raise enough money for gas for the return trip, my buddy even had to stop by a local pool hall to hustle up a few extra bucks the day we left when all was said and done, I proudly came back with $5 in my wallet.
Back in those days my greatest concern was sunburn and shark attacks especially after watching several sequels of the movie Jaws. As a parent and safety and risk management professional, I no longer view spring break as innocently as I once did.
Fast forward 35 plus years later and with three kids of my own, karma has already come to roost. I have already had to deal with my fair share of spring break worries as a parent, as my adult son currently is planning a trip within the next couple of weeks with three of his closest friends.
Young adults may be very responsible and quite levelheaded, but they still can be placed in a risky situation for which they may be unprepared. Almost all have no fear and think that nothing can happen to them.
But whenever you mix alcohol or drugs, teenagers or young adults, and the absence of parents, many often get the sum of a consequence that were not intended by the young person. Some come back home with criminal records and a lifetime of regrets. It’s safe to say that spring break even can be life threatening as well.
Even Dallas Cowboy standout Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and a couple of his Mississippi State teammates on a spring break trip to Panama City were jumped and beaten by a group of about 20 different people after a concert in 2015. The attackers later took to twitter to brag about the beating as videos later surfaced of the brutal attack that resulted in Dak getting knocked nearly unconscious after being hit over the head with a bottle and kicked in the face, resulting in five stiches, a chipped tooth and multiple bruises.
Nearly 60% of the spring breakers that are injured are self-inflicted and every year there is a story of a spring break death or a fatal fall from a hotel balcony. Theft, assault, violet crimes and sometimes murder can even occur during this popular affair, especially if you go abroad for spring break. It’s easy to forget that foreign laws are extremely serious, as an estimated 2,600 Americans are arrested on spring break overseas every year.
Binge drinking is only one of the many intoxicating activities that young people indulge in while on spring break. Statistically, college students normally average about six drinks a week, but while on spring break they will consume an average 10 drinks a day.
After nearly In 2016 Panama City Beach cracked down by imposing an alcohol ban on the beach after a rowdy spring break the year before after an unconscious woman was allegedly gang-raped on a crowded beach, a shooting wounded seven people and more than 1,000 people were arrested in March 2015. As a result many Spring Breakers have opted to go elsewhere, but it is still the number one most popular Spring break designation.
So what’s a parent to do?
Give your spring breaker these important safety reminders & just pray for their safety:
If You Are Road Tripping It: When driving to your destination, take turns behind the wheel and make sure someone sits shotgun. They can help keep you awake, keep an eye on traffic and help find the right roads. Drive defensively because the roads will be packed and remember if you get sleepy pull over and rest.
Remember, there’s safety in numbers: Hang out in groups, always use the “Buddy System” and never allow a friend to leave alone. If you lose your buddy ask for assistance from a proper authority to escort you home. Females should take a bottle of mace or a small Taser, as it may be a lifesaver if you end up in a critical situation.
Always carry your cell phone and identification: Carry emergency contact information with you on your phone and always check in daily with a loved one back home.
Enable the “Find My Phone” App. If you get lost, somebody in your group can use this app to locate your whereabouts thru GPS on your phone. This app will can locate you with in just a few feet, if you you’re your phone on.
Carry hotel contact information. Keep the hotel address and phone number with you at all times. If you get lost or disoriented, this information will help get you back to your hotel.
Appoint a designated safety scout. Someone in your group should remain sober and observant at all times, watching over the rest of the group’s activities helping to avoid dangerous and unsafe situations.
If you drink, drink responsibly. When you choose to drink, know your limits, keeping track of the number of drinks per hour, and do not accept drinks from others outside your group. Remember underage drinking and carrying open containers will land you in jail.
Remember that alcohol and water don’t mix very well. Always follow all posted rules and avoid all diving in pools and even into the ocean. Never swim at night especially on the beach, and remember swimming is at your own risk. Follow any flags or posting markers on the beach that are used to warn you about dangerous tides, harsh water conditions, or any other warning the beach patrol feels is necessary
Chose safe transportation. Check with the hotel front desk for guidance on the cheapest, easiest and most reliable form of transportation in Panama City Beach. Uber & Lyft are springer breakers transportation of choice, but remember to verify that they are indeed approver drivers, just don’t hop into any vehicle if not summons by your phone app.
Hotel Tips: Inspect your hotel room for damage as soon as you arrive so that you aren’t charged for somebody else’s reckless behavior. Quickly orient yourself with all fire exits. If possible request a room above the first floor so thieves don’t have easy access to your belongings, and remember to keep doors and balconies locked at all times and secure any valuables in a hotel safety deposit box. Do not remove your hotel wristband; they are used by security for guest identification and hotel access purposes. Never hang out on the balconies of the hotel; people are killed every year doing this during spring break.
Be safe, my friends.
Keven Moore works in risk management services. He has a bachelor’s degree from University of Kentucky, a master’s from Eastern Kentucky University and 25-plus years of experience in the safety and insurance profession. He lives in Lexington with his family and works out of both the Lexington and Northern Kentucky offices. Keven can be reached at kmoore@roeding.com.
