In many countries, especially developing countries, extreme caution should be exercised while traveling. You may encounter dangerous road conditions; untrained or unlicensed drivers; drivers operating under the influence of alcohol; vehicles that are poorly maintained and therefore hazardous (no headlights or tail lights, faulty brakes, smooth tires etc.); police check points or roadblocks; bandits and other criminals.

Following are some resources that can help:

• Review the Travel Reports from the Association of International Road Travel (ASIRT).  The Road Safety section is intended to provide U.S. citizens with an overview of road conditions in a particular country. ASIRT states that “Reducing risk in the world’s road traffic systems requires commitment and informed decision-making by government, industry, non-governmental organizations and international agencies. Road traffic crashes are predictable and can be prevented. Many countries have shown sharp reductions in the number of crashes and casualties by taking actions including.” Visit ASIRT to find resources and publications for all types of transportation including pedestrians, taxis, busses, bicycles, and drivers
• The Department of State declares that “The U.S. Government is continually working with its bilateral and multilateral partners, governments, industry groups, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide to raise awareness about global road safety.” Review the Road Safety section in the U.S. Department of State’s Country Specific Information, available for every country in the world, to help raise your awareness about road safety issues.
• For more Personal Safety/Transportation Issues visit the SAFETI Clearinghouse travel and transportation page. SAFETI declares that Administrators should seek to create policies that provide for the safest available means of transportation a country can offer students.” There are suggestions about what institutions can do to limit transportation accidents with sample forms.