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Share risk-management tips for those heading to unfamiliar territory with your Spring Breakers and their friends. Better safe than sorry.

If we’re reminded of anything regarding the case of Natalee Holloway, the girl who disappeared while celebrating her high school graduation on a trip with friends in Aruba, it’s that teenagers (especially) must exercise caution when traveling in unfamiliar territory. Here are some tips for your teen to ensure s/he has a fun but safe vacation.

At Home & Before Take-Off

• ♥ If headed to an area with a current travel warning, register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, which you can easily do online.

• ♥ Ensure that all of the proper paperwork has been completed. U.S. citizens traveling by sea, air and land between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport.

• ♥ Make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months after your trip dates.

• ♥ Make two copies of your passport, tickets, credit or debit cards, traveler’s checks, and any other important documents. Leave one set of copies at home with your parents, as well as a copy of your travel itinerary and contact information for those you are traveling with. Bring the other set with you and keep them separate from the originals, in case of emergency.

• ♥ Read the destination’s English-language publications before the trip, which are the best sources for local news. Many are available online.

• ♥ Make sure all of your immunizations are up to date, and that you receive any necessary vaccinations or other treatments if there are risks in the country being visited. If taking a prescription medication, make sure it is in the original container and clearly marked to avoid problems at Customs. In addition, be aware of the medical facilities available to you in the destination country and their required means of payment; be sure to carry a photocopy of whatever health insurance coverage you have at home.

• ♥ Decide with your parents upon a regular pattern of communication, whether it is phone calls or e-mails. It’s a good safety measure for teens to keep their parents posted about where they are and what they’re doing on a regular basis.

• ♥ If you are traveling with a cell phone, make sure prior to the trip that international calling has been activated and that you know how to make an international call or send a text.