Spring Break Injuries That Occur in Another State

 Posted on March 10, 2025 in Personal Injury

Almost everyone loves spring, particularly after a long, cold winter. Many people will take vacations during March and April, usually when the kids are out of school on spring break. Some families will find themselves in family-oriented places like Disneyworld, Disneyland, or any of the hundreds of water parks and theme parks across the United States. College-age students could end up in full party mode at beach resorts.

Wherever spring break takes you, injuries that occur as a result of negligence are always a possibility. While being involved in a personal injury is never a welcome event, being involved in an accident while out of your home state can bring additional challenges. If you have an auto accident on your way to work, you are likely close to your insurance agent and have a favorite body shop. If you slip and fall in your local grocery store, you can usually get in to see your regular doctor to assess your injuries.

When you are many states away from your home state, in an unfamiliar area, an accident can be much more complex. If you or a loved one have been involved in a spring break accident with injury and are unsure of the best way to proceed, consider speaking to an experienced Bloomingdale, IL personal injury lawyer.

Do Traffic Accidents Increase During Spring Break?

One Miami study found significant increases in traffic accidents in the most popular spring break destinations, with fatalities rising by 9.1 percent, many of those fatalities involving drivers under the age of 25 and significantly more fatalities involving out-of-state drivers. The factors associated with these increases in traffic accidents and traffic fatalities include:

• Increased volumes of traffic
• More distractions, including eating, drinking, texting, looking at GPS devices, and singing, talking, and laughing with passengers.
• Less experienced drivers on the roadways
• Unfamiliarity with the roads
• Overly fatigued drivers who have been on the road for hours, slowing reaction times and diminishing the ability to make good decisions.  

Alcohol-Related Injuries and Deaths Increase During Spring Break

There are far too many stories of college-age individuals falling from hotel or motel balconies as a result of drinking too much alcohol. Many people who would never drink and drive in their home city relax those standards during spring break, which can cause an increase in impaired driving accidents. Alcohol poisoning, alcohol-related drownings, and alcohol-fueled altercations can all result in injury and death during spring break getaways.

Slip and Fall Accidents and Drownings in Water Parks, Theme Parks, and Swimming Pools

Unfortunately, motel and hotel swimming pools, along with water parks and theme parks with water attractions, can all have extremely slippery surfaces. If there are no lifeguards on duty, drownings can occur, while slip and fall accidents can cause injuries or even death if a person strikes his or her head. Even in places where notices are posted that guests swim at their own risk or at water parks where waivers of liability are signed if there were clear safety violations, those notices or waivers may not prevent personal injury lawsuits.

What Should You Do If You Are Injured in Another State?

While you still have rights when vacationing in other states, those rights could be more difficult to enforce. You will likely be required to retain legal counsel in the state in which you were injured, especially if the accident was the result of another’s negligence. You should report the accident to the police so you will have a police report.

You should also notify your own insurance company if the injuries are from a car accident, take photos at the scene, collect the contact details of witnesses to the accident, and speak to an attorney promptly. If you have your own attorney in your home state, he or she may be able to recommend an attorney in the state you are in.  

Contact a DuPage County, IL Personal Injury Lawyer

Contacting a Naperville, IL personal injury lawyer as quickly as possible following an out-of-state accident can help ensure you get the help you need. Our firm offers a free case evaluation, Saturday and evening appointments, and three offices for your convenience (Lombard, Bloomingdale, and Naperville). Contact Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices at 630-932-9100 to schedule your free consultation.