According to a study conducted by Global Road Safety, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for healthy Americans traveling abroad.

As a part of the Make Roads Safe campaign, Global Road Safety recently released the report titled, “Road Crash Deaths of American Travelers: The Make Roads Safe Report; An Analysis of U.S. State Department Data on Unnatural Causes of Death to U.S. Citizens Abroad (2004-2006),” which revealed that road traffic crashes cause twice as many deaths as each of the next greatest risks which were homicides and other accidents.

The majority of the deaths (77%) were in low- and middle- income countries. Among road crashes by type, the greatest number occurred in automobiles (73%) followed by motorcycles (12%), and pedestrians (7%).

To help protect travelers overseas, Make Roads Safe offers these tips.

1) Plan Ahead – Know your route and method of transportation ahead of time.

2) Don’t Travel at Night – Low visibility and differing driving customs (like lack of headlight use) greatly increase your risk of a crash.

3) Use Mass Transportation – Mass Transportation, especially trains and subways is generally safer than driving yourself in an unfamiliar environment.

4) Pay Attention to Traffic Patterns and Local Customs – Watch the local residents, especially as a pedestrian and at intersections and know the laws and customs before your trip.

5) Follow the same safety rules you follow at home – Always wear your safety belt, never drink and drink and do not speed.

Make Roads Safe is a campaign involving safety advocates, physicians, engineers, parents, teachers, and others who are committed to saving lives on and around our highways.

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