Hilton Head Island Vacation Safety Info
We want your Hilton Head vacation or visit to be fun, safe and enjoyable. As with any vacation, there are things that can go bad, but when prepared and a little knowledge ahead of time, many of these bad experiences can be avoided. Some are common sense, others are not. Below are some considerations to know.
Traffic Laws
Always drive the speed limit. The Island can become congested and many drivers are not from this area and may not know where they are going. Always be on the lookout for sudden stops, lane changes and poor judgment by other drivers.
Wildlife
Hilton Head Island has an abundance of wildlife. Although much of the wildlife is used to having people around them, they are wild animals and can become aggressive if their space is compromised or when they feel threatened. Also remember, animals can have bad days too. They may become agitated for many reasons, even birds, raccoons and deer.
Never feed the wildlife. Feeding wildlife is against the law and the fines can be quite large. Feeding wildlife is often a death sentence, as they later may become aggressive wanting food and will often have to be destroyed.
Alligators are not friendly. They can become aggressive and are unpredictable at best. Never feed or get close to a gator.
Never allow children or pets to venture near them. When taking pictures, keep a lot of distance between you and them.
They can move very rapidly. Never swim in a pond or venture near pond water lines.
Personal and Family Safety
Always pay attention to your surroundings. When walking or riding a bike, try to go in a group or with another person. Never leave valuables in your vehicle unattended. When using an ATM machine, only use well lit locations, and never go alone at night. When venturing out, day or night, always let others know where you are going, return time and your planned route.
At the first sign of lightning storms, seek shelter or get into a vehicle immediately.
Lightning to ground strikes on Hilton Head are very common. Thunderstorms can be violent and sudden here, but they usually last only a few hours.
At the beach, never swim at night or near people fishing. Never swim alone! If caught in a rip-current, swim parallel with the beach until out of the current, then swim to the beach. Never swim against the current, the current will outlast you!