Crime doesn't rest during Spring Break
For safer trip in or out of U.S., students should stay alert, sober and together
By Dan Lara Special to Kansan
Spring Break is not the innocent fun it once was.
In 1986, a street party turned into a riot in Palm Springs, Calif.
Ten rapes were reported in 1989 on South Padre Island, Texas. That same year, a spring breaker was kidnapped and murdered in nearby Matamoros, Mexico. In Daytona Beach, Fla., eight people fell or leaped from balconies, resulting in one death.
Despite these statistics, many KU students planning Spring Break trips never mention crime or safety, some Lawrence travel agents say.
"I haven't really talked to anyone who has been concerned with their safety," said Stacey Henry, a travel agent at Adventure Travel, 544 Columbia Drive.
Becky Foster, a travel agent at Carlson Travel Network, 800 Massachusetts St., said, "I don't think they are really worried about crime."
Maybe students should worry. They can be easy targets during Spring Break, said Lt. Mark Brothers of the Lawrence police.
"Their focus is not on what's going on, but on relaxing, getting away from it all and having a good time," Brothers said.
Spring breakers should follow some basic, common sense precautions, such as using travelers' checks instead of cash. Brothers said. And students should not keep all their cash in wallets or purses.
"Keep some of your money in other areas, like a shirt pocket,"he said.
Spring Break is traditionally a time for students to drink a lot of alcohol. That's not a good idea, Brothers said.
"Alcohol causes you to drop your guard and gives you a false sense of security," he said. "It dulls your senses and your knowledge of the surroundings. It definitely increases your risk factor."
Nancy Limauro, director of promotions at Howard Johnson Plaza, a beach-front hotel in Daytona Beach, said, "I think some of them lose their common sense when they get drunk. I've watched a lot of minors get busted for drinking."
Despite the drinking, crime has not been a significant problem for students in the six years Limauro has worked at the hotel, she said. To protect students' property, each room has a safe. Hotel identification is needed for anyone trying to enter the hotel after 11 p.m.
Students also are required to pay a damage deposit on their rooms, she said. They get the deposit back if they do not break anything.
The best way to keep students out of trouble is to keep them busy, Limauro said. The Howard Johnson's is located in an area that is within walking distance of several night clubs and bars. In addition, it offers daily activities, including contests sponsored by various businesses.
"We provide enough activities so that the hotel room is not the place where the kids want to be." Limauro said.
In addition to renting hotel rooms, some students will be renting cars. Last year eight Florida tourists were killed driving rental cars. That prompted many rental companies, including Alamo Rent-A-Car in Daytona Beach, to take steps to protect rental car users.
Students renting cars from Alamo receive a checklist of safety precautions, said Andrew Cahill, an employee with Alamo.
The Florida Legislature mandated that rental car companies use regular tags and not those that indicate they are rental cars,he said.
"People have a tendency to drop their guard," Cahill said. "According to law enforcement officials, criminals have
used a number of ploys in various cities to distract motorists to get them to stop."
One method criminals use is yelling or pointing at drivers as if something is wrong with their cars, Cahill said. Another common trick is to fake car trouble and get a driver to stop to help.
Criminals also may flash headlights or bump into cars from behind, Cahill added.
"If any of these things occur, do not pull over and stop,"he warned. "Instead, drive immediately to a service station or welllighted area and call police."
Alamo offers rental-car insurance to students who need it, Cahill said.
Vacationers in hot spots such as Cancun, Jamaica and the Bahamas should know the country's laws and regulations.
"Even though you're a citizen of the United States, if you do anything illegal you are subject to their laws," said Vickie Bahnmaier, manager of Cruise Captain Travels, 7 W. 11th St.
Henry of Adventure Travel said that adventuresome students who enjoyed exploring places away from the main tourist areas should travel in groups.
Perhaps the most important thing for students traveling in foreign countries to remember is to carry their passports at all times, said Jouna Elmer, travel agent with Holiday Travel Inc., 2112 W. 25th St.