Brant Kochsiek is putting the final fixings on his Spring Break plans.
"It's a beautiful place! I don't know... we got um... we're staying at a huge hotel."

In less than two weeks, the UW Senior will join his family on a Spring Break soiree near Cancun, Mexico.
"I think we're just gonna be relaxing most of the time so I'm not too worried but, maybe when we go inside the city I'll just be a little precautious."

But Doug Lefeber, of Wisconsin AAA, wants to protect Brant and his fellow Spring Breakers from getting caught with their heads in the sand.
"Cancun is a city of almost 500,000 people, so is there crime? Sure. But some common sense guidelines can greatly reduce the risk of crime."

Billed as the world's most popular Spring Break destination, Cancun, Mexico draws tens of thousands of college and high school students each year.
Lefeber continues, "There's always security issues, no matter where you travel to, whether it's Mexico, Jamaica wherever it is. I mean, there's common sense precautions that you should always take."

One such precaution involves limiting alcohol consumption.
Lefeber says inebriated tourists make inviting targets for thieves.
He adds, traveling in groups, maintaining an awareness of your surroundings, and sticking to the beaten path, can help keep you protected.
"When you talk about Cancun for instance, I'll give you an example: picture a number seven. You know, and on the top half of the number seven is where the city of Cancun is and on the horizontal, or the vertical version, is where all the hotel strips are. And, you know, you can further reduce your risk by sticking to that area."

Where Brant says he'll concentrate on other threats.
"I hope to have a lot of fun down there, I mean, and relax in the sun so if it rains, I'm gonna be really disappointed."

Lefeber says AAA clients have access to travel reports which contain information about everything from hotels to tourist attractions, and include comprehensive lists of safety precautions.