Hazards to Avoid During Summer Vacation

After a long school year and months spent saving up your vacation time at work, it’s time to relax and spend summer making memories. While you’re booking hotel stays and planning activities, make sure you also review common vacation risks and take steps to keep your family safe.

If disaster strikes and you get injured on vacation, you may be able to pursue compensation from the liable party. We can help. Call Nowell Law Firm at 864-707-1785 to schedule a consultation.

Vehicle Crashes

Vehicle crashes are one of the biggest risks you face in everyday life, but the risk is even greater while on vacation. If you’re at a hot vacation spot, you can expect traffic to be much worse. On top of that, the area will be full of people who aren’t familiar with the roads or who are in a rush to get to their next planned activity.

Be particularly careful at night when drunk drivers may put you and your family in danger. Whenever you have somewhere to go, give yourself extra time to account for traffic or difficulty finding parking. This ensures that you won’t drive recklessly to make up for lost time.

Bicyclist and Pedestrian Accidents

Just as vehicle crashes are more prevalent during vacation season, so are pedestrian accidents. Communities with big vacation crowds often tend to see a lot of foot traffic. When you combine that with the greater number of cars present during summer vacation, you have the ideal setup for more injured pedestrians. If you and your family are walking or biking around during vacation, make sure you are familiar with local laws and road signs. Give yourself extra space around cars and other vehicles and follow all road signs.

Drowning and Other Swimming Accidents

Whether your family is enjoying the ocean, a local lake, or a swimming pool, be very careful when you go swimming. Natural waters pose a wide range of risks, from rip tides and dangerous marine life to storms. On top of that, there’s the ever-present risk of drowning. Drowning is also a serious risk in swimming pools, whether it’s the hotel pool, a waterpark, or a friend’s pool.

Whenever you and your family go swimming, take more precautions than you think are necessary. This accommodates potential weather changes or fluctuations in swimming ability. No matter how well your family can swim, ensure you have life jackets and other protective gear around to keep your loved ones safe.

Boating Collisions

If your favorite part of summer is spending days on your boat, plan ahead for increased water traffic. You should also plan for the potential needs of your guests. It doesn’t matter if everyone going on your boat claims to be an Olympic-level swimmer. Make sure you have enough life jackets on hand for everyone.

Before going out for a day trip, check the weather forecast and make plans for any adverse weather. A number of factors contribute to the high number of boating crashes every year, including operator inexperience, poor maintenance, boating while impaired, and boating recklessly.

Animal Bites

Many people consider their pets their family members, so it should be no surprise that many families choose to bring their dogs on vacation with them. Unfortunately, being in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers can put animals on edge. Even a well-behaved and well-trained dog can lose its patience when approached by strangers or forced to stay out longer than they want.

Animal bites, in addition to being painful, can put you at risk for a wide range of health issues. You may need to be tested for different diseases, depending on the dog’s vaccination status. You may also have to go on medication to prevent infection. When you see a dog on vacation, give it plenty of space and never try to pet it without first asking the owner for permission.

Get Help with Your Personal Injury Case Today

No matter how careful you are, you can’t always prevent an accident. If you do suffer an injury on vacation, turn to the team at Nowell Law Firm to guide you through the personal injury process. To schedule a consultation now, call us at 864-707-1785 or reach out to us online.