Accident hotspots for holidays abroad

We all have our reasons for going on holiday. We want to get away from the stresses and strains of daily life, try to experience a different culture, get away from the miserable climate at home or just kick back in different surroundings. Whatever the reason might be, we expect to be free from stress on holiday, but that’s sadly not always the case.

A press release issued by the government revealed that as many as 10 UK holidaymakers get hospitalised abroad every day. Although thousands of us head overseas in search of sun, sea and sand on a daily basis, that figure seems more than just a little alarming, but it seems that some of us unfortunate enough to experience holiday injuries may eventually have to seek instant medical help.

Experiencing pain in Spain?

A recent survey commissioned by First4Lawyers of holidaymakers across the UK of their travel habits and mishaps have revealed more than a few interesting statistics about where people are most likely to get hurt and why. Of the 41.9% of people who said they had been injured on holiday, 22.6% said they were last hurt in the UK, but 16.7% said they were last injured on vacation in Spain.

More than twice as many people said they were hurt most recently in the Mediterranean nation than in Greece, which polled 7.6%. France, another popular destination with tourists from Britain, was fourth with 7.3%, while the entire continent of Africa was fourth on the list, garnering 7% of the total number of injuries accounted for in the survey.

Accommodation to ambulance

There are numerous causes of holiday injuries, with many of them down to issues concerning poor maintenance of accommodation and public spaces. In the survey, it was revealed that those who had been injured became hurt while out sightseeing – it was the response of 16.7%, accounting for around one in six survey participants.

14.2% said they were hurt while on the beach, which in countries like Spain, Greece and Portugal is hardly surprising – sunstroke, falling over litter or even being bitten by nearby sea life are all possible causes of injury. 10.4% said they were hurt by the poolside, while 9.2% were injured when staying in their accommodation, possibly hinting at poor upkeep of hotels and villas being an issue.

Another problem which has become a concern for many tourists is falling off balconies. In villas and boutique hotels with a seaside or city centre view, it’s tempting to stand or sit on a balcony, especially when the need to explore is subdued. Over the past month, a significant number of holidaymakers from the UK have been hurt by balcony falls, with one injury proving fatal.

Paying the price for experiencing pain

In the UK, getting injured on holiday doesn’t usually result in having to face any additional medical costs, but that’s not always the case when going abroad. The survey of holidaymakers showed that, out of the 38.9% who said they had been hospitalised by their injuries, 47.6% of that number revealed that they had to make some form of payment in order to receive treatment.

This shows that getting hurt abroad can, in some cases, be costly in more ways than one. That’s why it pays to be careful whatever you do, but being prepared for such an event can help, as well as having decent travel insurance.