AUSTIN, Texas—Avoiding and caring for poison ivy. Keeping picnics healthy. Bicycling safety. Staying awake while driving. Helping a friend who’s had too much to drink. Making sex safer. Avoiding sunburn. Preventing and treating “tourista” (traveler’s diarrhea).
This information and more will be available at the University Health Services (UHS) “Spring Break Survival Skills”, to be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 10 and Thursday, March 11 on the West Mall of The University of Texas at Austin.
“We are providing this information to help students have an enjoyable and relaxing spring break, while minimizing potential health problems,” said Sherry Bell, UHS assistant director for health promotion. “We want all students back safe and sound after spring break.”
This year, a demonstration of “The Roll-Over Convincer” will be presented to help convince UT students, faculty and staff to use their seat belts. Developed as a public education tool by the Passenger Safety Education Team of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, the Roll-Over Convincer is a pickup cab mounted on a trailer.
During the demonstration, an adult dummy and a young child dummy are placed in the vehicle with their seat belts unbuckled to illustrate what happens to occupants during a roll-over accident. The dummies are then belted, and the procedure is repeated to show how the occupants are held in position in during a roll-over crash when seat belts are properly used.
The Roll-Over Convincer is being brought to campus by the joint UT Police Department/University Health Services College Traffic Safety Program. Representatives from the UHS Health Promotion Resource Center will staff tables related to sexual health, food safety, prevention and self-care for a variety of illness or injuries that students encounter over spring break and the reduction of negative consequences caused by alcohol abuse.
For a picture of the Roll-Over Convincer, access the University Health Services Web Page at www.utexas.edu/student/health and click on “Spring Break Survival Skills.”
