These eight foreign road trip safety tips are important. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1.25 million people die each year in traffic accidents. In fact, WHO states they’re the leading cause of death among 15- to 39-year-olds.
Also according to WHO, in addition to the 1.25 million traffic fatalities occurring annually, from 20 to 50 million others suffer non-fatal injuries in motor vehicle accidents each year, many resulting in disabilities.
The U.S. Department of State tells us that traffic accidents are the leading cause of injury deaths to U.S. citizens while traveling internationally. WHO states that 90 percent of the world’s traffic fatalities occur in developing nations, despite those countries only having half the world’s motor vehicles.
For international travelers planning road trips, these statistics should be an eye-opener, so I have 8 tips to help prevent you from becoming a WHO traffic accident statistic on your next international road trip.
1. Check the U.S. Department of State Country Information:
When planning a trip which includes travel by car or motorcycle, you need to learn about traffic safety and road conditions at your destinations. To do that, I go to the U.S. Department of State’s Country information pages and review the “Travel and Transportation” section for the countries I’m visiting.
For example, if you read about traffic safety at the State Department’s South Korea information page, you’ll learn that left-hand turns are generally prohibited except where a green arrow indicates otherwise. That information can save your life and your wallet.
2. Rest after a long flight before driving:
Especially if your long flight was overnight, rest before considering driving. You need to be alert with quick reaction time when you drive, and more so when driving outside your home country, as you’ll likely be on unfamiliar roads.
3. Honestly evaluate your ability to adapt to driving on the “wrong side of the road”:
If you’re visiting a country that requires you to drive on the opposite side of the road, compared to your home country, seriously consider not driving there. Making turns safely and reacting properly in potential accident situations there isn’t as easy as most drivers think it will be.
If you decide to drive in a country in which you’ll drive on the opposite side of the road compared to your home country, I advise not driving in a major city until you’ve driven on open highways. You need to become familiar with the feel of driving on the opposite side of the road before you encounter heavy traffic.
Extra Tip: It’s also hazardous when you’re a pedestrian in a country where vehicles drive on the opposite side of the road, compared to your home country. When crossing streets, cars will come from the opposite direction compared to at home, so you’ve got to be extra alert when scanning for approaching vehicles.
4. Wear your seatbelt and strap your young child into a car seat:
There is no doubt that seatbelts save lives. Don’t drive a car without strapping yourself in. If you’re traveling with a youngster, make sure you have an appropriate car seat for them and use it.
Insist that your rental car is equipped with seatbelts. In some developing countries cars aren’t always equipped with them.
5. When asking for directions, ask for the safest route, not the fastest route:
Sometimes the fastest route is far from the safest route and, especially on unfamiliar roads, you want the safest route. In many countries, remember that even the safest route may not be very safe, with washed-out areas, hairpin turns with no guard rails, and intersections with no signs or lights directing the flow of traffic. Drive defensively at all times.
6. In many countries you may be sharing the road:
Almost everywhere you’ll be sharing the road with a diverse mix of cars, buses, taxis, trucks, bicycles and motorcycles. You may be forced to share the road with sheep, goats, cattle, farm tractors, rickshaws, animal drawn carts, etc. You need to be prepared.
7. Avoid driving at night in developing countries:
All too often in many of the world’s developing countries, motorists don’t drive with their headlights on at night. Unfortunately, drivers are under the mistaken belief they will save their cars’ battery life by keeping the lights off.
8. If you have to ride a motorcycle or motorbike, wear a helmet:
At some destinations many tourists rent and ride motorcycles. Never rent and drive one if you’re not an experienced motorcycle operator. At locations such as Bermuda, tourists are limited to renting motorbikes. Traveler operators of motorcyles and motorbikes generally have a higher accident rate than locals. If driving or riding these two-wheelers, protect yourself by wearing a helmet.
Driving while traveling internationally has many difficulties and potential hazards not typically encountered at home. If you choose to drive internationally, following the tips discussed can help you return home safely with many great memories to tell friends and family.
(Image: On the Road Caen, Normandy, France, Copyright 2009 NSL Photography. All Rights Reserved.)
After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
