Every single day, approximately 3,500 fatalities occur around the world because of road traffic accidents and crashes. Annually, the total hovers around 1.3 million people that are killed worldwide because of traffic safety issues and another 50 million people are injured. These statistics are certainly alarming, but the risks are not equal all around the world. To put it simply, lower to middle income countries are at the highest risk for a road traffic accident.
Of the countries with highest death rates, not all may be a realistic tourist destination for United States Citizens. At the top of the list is Eritrea, followed by Libya. While many US tourists may not frequently travel to these countries, other destinations such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are on the list and special care sho<uld be taken when traveling to these countries. Staying safe should be your number one priority while traveling to all the corners of the world.
Just because the top travel destinations for Americans were not on the top 20 list does not mean that extra precaution shouldn’t be taken while on vacation. For example, Mexico reports over 20,000 traffic deaths each year, while places like China and Thailand report approximately 100,000 annual traffic deaths. Being in a developed nation does not automatically guarantee your road safety.
In order to stay safe, there are a few basic things you can do while on vacation. Never walk through unfamiliar or unsafe roads, especially at night. Plan your route beforehand and make sure that the entire path is well-lit. In many countries you must pay special attention to find areas with sidewalks. You may not want to stand out as a tourist, but wearing bright clothing and a Safees reflector is the best way to ensure that you are seen at night and by foreign drivers.
