Before confirming travel plans, whether to somewhere in the United States or abroad, it is only practical to consider the implications of planning poorly or getting distracted on vacation.

Here are four pieces of advice for anyone heading on a trip over break:

1. Be aware of powerful currents

Ten people drown each year, according to data compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with upwards of 3,500 deaths altogether.

Swimmers have a tendency of venturing well beyond the ocean’s shore without an awareness of riptides, unable to evade the ocean’s grip.

Even the best of swimmers are not immune to the threat of strong currents.

2. Do not forget sunscreen

  Less than 30 percent of Americans, an ABC poll found, have an ingrained habit of wearing sunscreen. One can only imagine how this rate might increase on vacation, when travelers, preoccupied with leisure activities, run the risk of becoming distracted.

Although a source of Vitamin-D, the sun’s rays pose a heightened risk of blisters, cramps, symptoms of the flu and, if consistently exposed, skin cancer.

3. Keep travel insurance in mind

Most insurance plans do not provide coverage once the policyholder departs the United States. Taking this into consideration, a travel insurance plan is often a sensible solution. Prices range anywhere from four to 10 percent of the net travel costs. The duration of the trip, together with the age and number of travelers, will get factored into the price of the plan.

4. Be cognizant of scam artists and thieves

Regardless of the destination, it is imperative for travelers to be observant of their surroundings. Wallets should be stored in a front pocket, and as far as purses are concerned, it is best to keep them out in front on a short strap.

Scam artists sometimes assume the identities of police officers, demanding that travelers surrender passports for inspection. They will then allege there is an issue with your visa, claiming the only solution is to pay them some sort of fee.

Another scam artist gimmick involves taxi drivers who suggest that, for whatever the reason, the hotel or restaurant you intend to visit has closed. This is nothing more than a neatly developed ploy in which they can potentially earn a commission.

Do not fall for such insidious plots at pilfering your pockets.

Each day, locals devise insidious plots in which they pilfer the pockets of inattentive vacationers.

Information attained from lonelyplant.com, cbsnews.com, insuremytrip.com, cdc.gov, and abcnews.com.