It’s important to take precautions to ensure travel safety.[7] When traveling abroad, the odds favor a safe and incident-free trip, however, travelers can be subject to difficulties, crime and violence.[8] Some safety considerations include being aware of one’s surroundings,[7] avoiding being the target of a crime,[7] leaving copies of one’s passport and itinerary information with trusted people,[7] obtaining medical insurance valid in the country being visited[7] and registering with one’s national embassy when arriving in a foreign country.[7] Many countries do not recognize drivers’ licenses from other countries; however most countries accept international driving permits.[9] Automobile insurance policies issued in one’s own country are often invalid in foreign countries, and it’s often a requirement to obtain temporary auto insurance valid in the country being visited.[9] It’s also advisable become oriented with the driving rules and regulations of destination countries.[9] Wearing a seat belt is highly advisable for safety reasons and because many countries have penalties for violating seatbelt laws.[9]

There are three main statistics which may be used to compare the safety of various forms of travel (based on a DETR survey in October 2000):[10]