Common Travel Dangers (and How to Survive Them)

Are you prepared to face one of these common travel dangers?

How To Survive: Dangerous Travel Occurrences to Avoid

Whether we are traveling far or near, there are always dangers lurking — several of which we are unprepared for.

Yes, we may have heard about that friend who was stung by a jellyfish on his Caribbean vacation or the family member who came across a bear during her camping trip. But do we know what to do when one of those occurrences happens to us?

Here are some of the most common travel dangers of the world and what we can do to survive them.

Danger: Quicksand

You may think quicksand is just a myth of movies, but quicksand is real. Sand, or even clay, that gets saturated with water can become mucky and act like water, causing you to sink into it.

You'll find quicksand more likely near water such as marshes, lakeshores, near underground springs and tidal flats (so not in deserts like you may have thought). Using a walking stick in front of you can help you avoid it.

How to Survive

Step back. If you have stepped into quicksand, try to take a few steps backward before you get sucked in more.

Arms up. If you find yourself sinking deeper, get your arms above your head so you can grab for help.

Don't flail. You won't sink quickly if you can keep yourself from panicking and work quickly. Flailing will just mix up the sand and make it worse.

Float. Lean back and raise your legs as if you were attempting to float in water.

Roll away. Once you are horizontal, roll or "swim" yourself out of the quicksand.

Danger: Run-in With a Bear

National and state parks will warn of the dangers found in their parks. If there are signs that bears may be spotted, you best believe them. This means you could encounter a bear at any moment while taking a hike or camping in bear country.

Brown bears, including grizzlies, can be found in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming and do reside in Yellowstone National Park.

Black bears can be found across the U.S. but are most often spotted along the East and West coasts, the Rocky Mountains and Alaska.

How to Survive

Carry bear spray. Yes, there is a reason they sell this in stores near hiking trails that have bears. The capsaicin spray will create a cloud that usually stops a bear. Don't keep it in your backpack — have it where you can quickly use it.

Play dead if it's brown. As the graphic shows, lie down in a fetal position and then play dead. A grizzly bear, which is brown, will not perceive you as a threat or prey if you are not running. The fetal position will help protect you as much as possible if the bear should attack.

Fight back if it's black. A black bear typically wants nothing to do with you, but if you have startled it, it has cubs nearby, or it's extremely hungry, it will attack if you run or lie down. Grab rocks and sticks as weapons, yell, wave your arms and make yourself as large as you can. Hopefully, they'll run off like a squirrel would.

Don't climb a tree. They can climb them, too.

Danger: Snake Bite

Just like bears, snakes very much don't want to tussle with you. When someone gets bitten by a snake, it's because of bad timing, as the snake is doing it in self-defense.

When hiking, wear boots and stay on trails and out of the underbrush and weeds. If you spot a snake, stay away, even if it looks dead.

When camping, be cautious picking up sticks for fires and be careful of snakes hiding under rocks.

How to Survive

Venomous snakes have triangular heads, and these bites are the most deadly. If you do get bitten by a snake, do not suck out the venom. This, along with washing or a tourniquet can cause more harm than good.

Instead, follow these three steps:

Call an ambulance, even if you think the snake is not poisonous.
Keep the bite below the heart (lie down, if needed), and stay still to prevent the poison from moving quickly through the bloodstream.
Apply pressure until in the presence of a doctor.

Danger: Avalanche

When ski season rolls around, fresh powder is something to be excited about. Until it is so heavy that it slides down the mountain at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, taking more snow, ice and rock with it and burying everything in its path.

The state that is the most deadly for avalanches? Colorado.

How to Survive

Thankfully, ski mountains keep an eye on the slopes and look for conditions that may lead to an avalanche, blocking off areas that are high risk. But avalanches cannot always be predicted and are more common if you're skiing less-traveled runs in the back bowls.

If an avalanche begins, follow these three steps:

Move to the side. Don't continue down the mountain; you won't beat it. Get out of the way.

Hold on or swim. If you can hold onto something sturdy like a tree, you may be able to stay put. If the tree or you get caught up in the snow, treat it like a wave and swim with the current.

Hold up your arm. This is not only so you can try to get to the surface, but hopefully, your hand can remain above the snow for someone to see. If you should go under, create a pocket for room to breathe. Stay calm so you don't waste your breathe as you await help.

Danger: Jellyfish Sting

A jellyfish sting can cause not only stinging pain but also bruise the skin and cause swelling and itching in mild cases. Severe cases can cause nausea and vomiting, weakness, confusion, muscle pain, headache, heart problems and difficulty breathing.

The best way to avoid a sting is to avoid swimming in areas when jellyfish have been spotted.

How to Survive

If you do get stung, there are ways to reduce the pain that do not involve peeing on the sting (yes, we all remember that "Friends" episode). According to WebMD, you should follow these steps:

Rinse with vinegar. Water will aggravate the sting, but vinegar will neutralize it.
Remove tentacles using tweezers and any stingers using a bank card or hotel key.
Soak the area in hot water for 20 to 45 minutes.
Treat with hydrocortisone cream, an ice pack or antihistamine to help with itching and swelling.

Danger: Runaway Horse

What starts as a quiet walk through the woods or along the beach on a group horseback tour could take a turn for the worse if your horse gets spooked and unexpectedly starts to gallop.

Minimize the chances of your horse taking off by keeping distance between you and the horse in front and behind you, sit properly in the saddle, and do not let the horse take control like when it wants to stop and eat.

How to Survive

Hold on tight. Be sure your feet are in the stirrups and you are seated properly in the saddle, so you won't get thrown from the horse and can gain control.

Find higher ground. If the horse is going to run, use the reins to direct it toward a hill to slow it down. Moving in circles can help as well.

Rein him in. Pulling on the rein as tight as you can, and lean back as much as you can in the saddle to pull it even tighter. The horse could stop suddenly, so be sure you are secure.

Twist the ear. As a last resort, twist the horse's ear toward you, as it can have a calming effect on the horse. Hold it down for 5 seconds, wait for 10 seconds, then repeat.

Danger: Being Pickpocketed

The good news is a pickpocket wants to go unnoticed and isn't typically looking to harm you.

The bad news is a pickpocket goes unnoticed, and by the time you realize you have lost your belongings, he or she is long gone.

How to Survive

The best way not to be pickpocketed is to be prepared and follow these steps when traveling:

Leave valuables in the hotel safe.
Keep your wallet in your front pocket.
Wear a purse to the front of your body.
Put locks on your backpack zippers, and keep valuables out of the most forward-facing pouches.
Avoid crowds, but when you can't, keep your valuables close and your eyes peeled.
Stay close to your luggage when on busses and trains.
Wear a money belt.

Danger: Falling Through Ice

You see a pond frozen over and wonder if it's frozen enough to skate or walk on. The saying goes: "Thick and blue, tried and true; thin and crispy, way too risky."

WeatherNation says to look for clear ice, which is the newest and strongest, that is 4-inches thick or more.

How to Survive

If the ice begins to crack while you are on it, slowly get down on your stomach and spread your weight across the ice and move to safety, rolling away if you can. Try to avoid bending your elbows or knees.

If you do fall in, spread your arms and hands onto the unbroken ice and pull yourself out on your stomach and roll away.

You should not try taking off your clothes. They won't weigh you down and could actually provide temporary warmth and flotation. That said, you'll need to get warm within 30 minutes to avoid hypothermia.

Danger: Tornado

There were more than 1,400 tornadoes in the U.S. in 2019, with Louisiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Texas, Florida, Missouri, Kansas and Kentucky seeing the most action.

The chances of seeing one in your lifetime is not unusual. If you are driving along the road and happen to see a tornado form, this isn't your moment to become a tornado chaser. This is your moment to seek shelter.

How to Survive

A vehicle is not heavy enough to stay grounded in a tornado, so if you see a tornado far enough in the distance, drive away from it in the opposite direction.

If one suddenly appears and you cannot get away in your car, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center provides these tips:

Remain in your car with your seat belt fastened.
Put your head down below the windows and cover your head with your arms, a coat or anything you have available in case the glass gets shattered.
Do not seek shelter under a bridge.

Of course, if you're near a building, seek shelter there, and immediately go to the basement if there's one available.

Danger: Rip Current

Many vacations are spent at the beach, so you may have heard of rip currents, which take place at ocean or lakeside beaches where currents form and head away from the beach.

Drownings can occur when people get caught in the current — but not because they are being swept away from the beach, because they fight the current and get tired or overpowered by waves.

Lifeguards are aware when there are dangerous rip currents and will keep people out of the water when they spot them, but if you are swimming at unprotected beaches, you may not know one exists.

How to Survive

The best way to get away from a rip current is to swim parallel to the shore rather than trying to swim directly to the shore. When you get out of the current, then swim back to shore.

The current will not pull you under, so if you get tired, float with it until you regain some strength.

Be sure to call for help when you can!

Danger: Undertows

While a rip current won't bring you underwater, an undertow can. When a wave breaks, it creates both an uprush and backwash of water and sand meeting and spinning. A person caught in this when the wave breaks may get caught in the spinning.

One or two waves may find you swallowing some water and struggling to regain footing, but when it becomes particularly dangerous is when the waves are quickly crashing and you get caught in a new wave before having a chance to catch your breath.

You won't be taken out to sea, but you just won't get a break.

How to Survive

Undertows are more dangerous for children who cannot stand and get above the water, but adults can get caught, too, in particularly large ones.

When this happens, remain calm so you can focus on catching your breath and finding a break in the waves to remove yourself from the current.

Danger: Encounter With a Wild Cat

It's very possible to come across a wild cat on a hike. The U.S. is home to lynx, bobcats, ocelots, mountain lions and jaguars.

You'll find most of them in the mountains along the Canadian border, southern Texas, Western states, Florida and Arizona, although bobcats can be found all across the country.

How to Survive

Back away.Slowly back away from a wild cat, even if it has not seen you.

Do not run. The cat will see you as prey if you run — and they are much faster than you.

Peacock. If the cat begins to move toward you, make yourself as large as possible, flapping your arms in the air while yelling.

Protect your head. Keep your head and neck covered and protected during the attack, and fight hard.

Danger: Car Accident

There is something about the freedom of being on vacation that allows us to live a little and let our hair down. Unfortunately, while we are throwing caution to the wind, we are doing it at times we shouldn't.

You don't travel in your car without buckling up, yet when we hop into a cab at the airport in a different city, we often forget to do just that.

How to Survive

Accidents can happen at any time and any place, even on vacation.

Always wear your seat belt, even in the back seat of a taxi or Uber.