Here are some tips to help you plan a safe vacation before you travel.
Taking a vacation in Florida is a dream come true. Beautiful beaches, sunshine, gorgeous walking trails, and exciting nightlife await vacationers in the Sunshine State. Fasig | Brooks, a personal injury law firm in Destin and Miramar Beach, warns that there are some things to be aware of or think about to prevent an accident that leads to a personal injury. You want your vacation to be fun and full of relaxation, rather than spent in a hospital or worrying about recovering damages. Here are some tips to help you plan a safe vacation before you travel.
Avoid distractions
A common cause of trips and falls is looking at a cell phone rather than paying attention to surroundings. Even if you are returning to a familiar place you have visited before, you should always avoid distractions to see where you’re going. Slip and fall injuries are some of the most common premises liability claims and commonly happen when people are not paying attention to where they are going. Slip and fall accidents are caused by a number of hazards such as:
- Poor stairway maintenance
- Defects in pavement
- Wet surfaces
- Torn, raised, or ripped carpeting
- Rainwater accumulation
- Uneven surfaces
- Lack of handrails or defective handrails
- Poor lighting
- Colliding into people
Beware of issues caused by drugs and alcohol
Alcohol has numerous negative effects on the body. When a person has been drinking, their balance and coordination are negatively affected, their reaction time slows down, and their vision gets blurry. To make matters worse, alcohol gives people a feeling of euphoria and invincibility. These can contribute to a nasty trip, fall, or other accident. It is very hard for victims of accidents to recover losses if it can be proven that their drug or alcohol use caused them to engage in an unsafe activity or become injured due to losing their motor skills.
One of the best parts of going to a new town is trying their food or checking out a local brewery, winery, or a well-known bar. Of course, it is illegal to drive drunk anywhere in the U.S. When you are in an unfamiliar area, you are at greater risk of getting lost if you have been drinking and getting involved in an accident while driving. Look into the area's public and private transportation options so you can drink without driving.
Wear proper footwear
Before you go on your trip, think about the types of activities and locations that you will do and see on your trip. Do you have shoes with a sturdy bottom if you plan on doing any hiking? Do you have a comfortable pair of shoes appropriate for walking to museums or other points of interest? If you will be near pool areas, do you have sandals or other footwear that are appropriate? Your feet stabilize your body to help you keep your balance. Take shoes with you that are comfortable and appropriate for every place you go and every activity you engage in. Sandals with a backstrap can keep your ankles steadier than flip-flops. Slip-on water shoes can keep your feet safe at the beach and when walking on hot asphalt.
Injuries from slip and fall accidents can affect any part of the body and range in severity from mild to life-threatening.
- Back injuries: A slip and fall can fracture, dislocate or compress any of the 24 vertebrae in the back. Spinal cord injuries can result in permanent or temporary paralysis, incontinence, and numbness in the affected body parts.
- Traumatic brain injuries: the skull can become fractured upon impact, and shards of bone can penetrate the brain. When the brain hits the inside walls of the school, it leads to bruising, bleeding, and can sever communication between neurons.
- Fractures: Broken ribs, femurs, hips, and jaws are some of the most common types of fractures, but a trip and fall can break any bone in the body.
Read all signs
If you’re visiting a place like Florida, you will notice signs by lakes that warn people not to swim because alligators live near the water. Or you may see other signs warning you to not provoke or feed wildlife. Do not ignore these signs. If you do, then you may be held liable for the injuries that result to you or anyone you are traveling with.
Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
