As spring break approaches, the Towson University Police Department would like to wish you a safe spring break and remind you of these safety tips:
- Always be vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times. Many local residents from the beach destinations and vacation areas can spot tourists or visitors. Robberies can occur while you are vacationing as well. Do not walk with your cell phone out texting or while engrossed in a phone conversation for long periods of time. If you are robbed, do not resist—give up any money, jewelry, or other valuables. You can always replace material things. Call 911 as soon as you can.
- Do not flaunt expensive jewelry when on spring break. Why encourage theft? Leave the jewelry at home when you head out for spring break. Theft is common in hotels so you do not want to leave valuables there. If you decide to leave your valuables please utilize hotel safes.
- Know the alcohol laws at your destination. Ask your travel agent for information on age of consumption and local laws regarding alcohol use. Some areas will ticket for open intoxicants, while others may have stiff penalties for public inebriation.
- Do not drink excessively. Do not drink so heavily you endanger your safety. When one drinks heavily, judgment becomes cloudy and you may make decisions that you later regret. Drinking heavily sometimes leads to death. Also, if one is so intoxicated he/she can barely function, sometimes a predator will take advantage of that situation.
- Plan ahead on how much you plan to drink. Talk with a friend about when the friend should intervene and make a plan for how you will return to your hotel. Stay with someone who knows you when you are drinking, do not wander off alone. Make sure someone in your group is not drinking or is drinking responsibly so they can get everyone home safely.
- Never leave your drink unattended and always watch your drink. Your drink may easily be tainted at a bar or in party environments. If you ever lose sight of your drink, such as while going to the restroom, replace it with a new one.
- Do not go swimming late at night or when you are intoxicated. Save ocean swims for daylight hours when there are lifeguards on duty. Do not mix drinking and late night swims either. Remember to follow basic safety rules to avoid tragedy.
- Do not go out alone. Stay with at least one friend when traveling around on spring break. Do not go to bars alone and do not walk back to the hotel alone either. There is safety in numbers so stay with friends and enjoy a safe spring break.
