Vacation no time to let down your guard

Our hearts go out to the Nebraska family who suffered the unspeakable horror of seeing their toddler snatched away by an alligator while they were visiting a Disney World resort Tuesday night.

Although the manmade lake had "no swimming" signs posted, the boy was playing in about a foot of water in a beach area when he was grabbed by the reptile, four to seven feet in length. The boy's body was discovered nearby about 16 hours after he was taken.

It was a bad week for the Orlando area, first with the murder of "The Voice" star Christina Grimmie by a deranged fan, then the terrorist who killed 49 at a gay nightclub before he was killed by police.

It was probably a statistical fluke that Orlando was the scene of three separate tragedies in such a short time, given the millions of people that visit the area in a year's time.

Stalkers and terrorists aside, however, vacation time is no time to let down your guard when it comes to keeping your family safe.

Yellowstone National Park is a good example of a place where tourists can get into trouble if they don't respect the natural order of things, whether it's boiling acidic geyser fields, bison, moose or grizzly bear.

June is National Safety Month, but July is the most dangerous month when it comes to preventable deaths, according to the National Safety Council.

Deaths from things like car crashes, drownings and extreme temperatures spike in July, 11 percent higher than the national average.

"Sun, sand and vacation selfies mark July as the peak of summer," said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. "Making safe choices can ensure July is the best month of the year, not the most deadly," she said.

Some common sense advice from the NSC:

* Avoid speeding, using cell phones and driving under the influence. In 2011, 3,417 people were killed in car crashes in July. Crashes involving speeding and alcohol are highest in the summer, and cell phone use increases crash risk fourfold, even when using a hands-free device.

* Place children in age-appropriate car seats. If you are flying, buy a ticket for children ages 2 and younger and place them in an FAA-approved child seat. Do not hold young children on your lap during a flight.

* Learn about your vehicle's safety systems and how to use them. MyCarDoesWhat can help drivers understand features such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning systems and backup cameras.

* Do not operate a boat while drinking or without a boater's license

* Make sure children use floatation devices and everyone in your group knows how to swim. In 2011, 759 individuals drowned in July.

* Stay hydrated and avoid being outside for long periods of time in the extreme heat. In 2011, 270 people were killed in July because of extreme temperatures.

* In 2013, 44 kids died from heatstroke because they were left in hot cars. Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.