New York Times "Tips on Driving While Abroad" June 15, 2003 By SUSAN CATTO Worries like the threat of terrorism and SARS are claiming the attention of many travelers these days. Yet the chance of falling victim to these threats is tiny compared to the risk of being injured or killed in a car accident. Motor vehicle accidents are the largest cause of injury and death in healthy travelers, according to the World Health Organization travel and health report, with an estimated 1.26 million people dying each year on the world's roads. The State Department estimates that 200 United States citizens die every year in road accidents while abroad; although statistics are not available, there are probably thousands more who are injured or have their vacations ruined by accidents. While certain risks apply whether you're driving on an Interstate or an autobahn, many countries have accident rates far greater than the United States'. Unfamiliar driving conditions and equipment, hazardous roads and poor policies can all make driving abroad more dangerous. Learning the Road Culture Familiarizing yourself with a foreign driving environment may be the most important step you can take in ensuring your safety. Find out the obvious: What do the street signs mean? What are the rules about right of way, roundabouts, passing, acceptable blood alcohol levels, stopping at checkpoints? Official policies don't tell the whole story. "There are things you need to know that aren't necessarily in the books," said Rochelle Sobel, president of the Association for Safe International Road Travel, a nonprofit organization based in Potomac, Md. "Does a stoplight really mean something in a country? Is it a warning or is it a dare? How are pedestrians treated at crosswalks?" Knowing the road culture can help you drive safely (or decide if you want to drive at all). Common hazards may include poorly lighted roads, unlicensed drivers, little enforcement of drunken-driving or trucker safety rules and overcrowded buses. Some countries are plagued by carjackings; in others, thefts may begin with a car "accidentally" rear-ending your vehicle. Ms. Sobel's group has compiled Road Travel Reports for more than 150 countries. The nine-page report for Kenya, for example, notes that the country's annual road fatality rate is twice that of South Africa and 25 times that of Britain, that "stopping for a red light may anger drivers behind you," and that the highway from Nairobi to Mombasa has potholes and crumbling shoulders. Reports can be ordered at www.asirt.org or (301) 983-5252; there is no charge, but donations are welcome. The State Department's Web site, www.travel.state.gov /road_safety.html, also has safety suggestions plus links to country-specific Web sites such as road safety boards and U.S. embassy updates. Wherever you are, some standard precautions apply. If you're renting a car, you may want to try to get the kind you usually drive. Avoid driving a car that marks you as a tourist: rent one that doesn't stand out and ask that anything that marks it as a rental car (bumper stickers, say) be removed. Leave a local newspaper on the dashboard and keep maps, guidebooks, tickets and suitcases out of sight. A separate trunk will be more secure than a hatchback, and air-conditioning will let you keep the windows closed. Seat belts may not be standard equipment, so ask before you book, and consider bringing your own car seat for children lest you arrive to find the rental car's equipment is missing or substandard. Don't drive off the lot until you have tested every feature: turn signals, wipers, hazard lights, locks, high beams. Study your route before you go, and familiarize yourself with the exits and turns along the way. This is good advice even if you are not driving alone: dividing driving and map-reading duties can result in distracting arguments. ... Talking to a local person is the best way to avoid travel through riskier neighborhoods or construction zones. Ask your car rental agent or hotel concierge to look at your proposed route and identify any obvious drawbacks. Driving in politically unstable or crime-plagued areas carries risks too complex to address here, but as a general rule, if another driver signals you or "accidentally" bumps your car, don't stop; drive to a police station or well-lighted, well-populated area. Try not to drive at night, when accidents are more common. ... Not a Time to Experiment Avoid mopeds and scooters unless you drive them at home. There's something about vacations that makes us feel like trying new things, but piloting a two-wheeler over sandy or uneven roads shouldn't be one of them. Moped riders risk head injuries, broken bones, scrapes or worse. "I've seen so many people just take a little moped ride and end up basically changing their life, and not for the better, when they fall off and get injured," said Dr. Kevin Kain, director of the Center for Travel and Tropical Medicine at the Toronto General Hospital. Even a minor injury in the developing world that ends up requiring surgery or a blood transfusion can turn a broken leg into something life threatening. Finally, consider whether you really need to drive at all. ... Despite the risks, you may need or want the flexibility and control that only a car can give. In that case, knowledge is your best safety feature. "Sometimes you have a choice and sometimes you don't," said Dr. Kain. "But when you have a choice you really want to be making smart decisions."