Traveling safe in the post-9/11 era

This week at Yahoo! News, my “Traveling Light” column focuses on international travel safety, five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. My conclusion? That, for the most part, the real travel dangers are quite similar to the dangers travelers encountered before 9/11. That is, petty crimes and accidents are still more likely to be a problem on the road than is political violence or terrorism.

From the article, here are five tips to keep in mind when considering overseas travel safey:

1) Research your destination online

Thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to stay current on the political and safety situation of a given country. Whether you’re going to Israel or Colombia or the Philippines, online versions of these countries’ newspapers are going to give you more specific information than whatever you’ll find reported in the mainstream American media.

There are several online sources that collect information relating to global travel safety, including World Travel Watch and U.S. State Department Travel Warnings. Through the State Department site, Consular Information Sheets are available for every country of the world, describing national entry requirements, currency regulations, unusual health conditions, crime and security situations, political disturbances, and areas of instability. In the event of a specific and current danger in a country, a special “Travel Warning” is posted alongside the consular information. But keep in mind that State Department warnings tend to err on the conservative side, and are best cross-referenced against other sources of information.

The State Department also maintains an online tip sheet called A Safe Trip Abroad, which has good, basic information for keeping out of danger overseas. Included are tips for staying safe from pickpockets and general crime, as well as political violence and terrorism. Online links lead to specific tip sheets on travel to the Caribbean, Central and South America, China, Mexico, the Middle East, Russia and South Asia.

2) Guidebooks have useful safely information, too

Guidebooks geared for independent travelers, such as Lonely Planet, Moon and Rough Guide, all have sections on safe travel. Much of the safety information is not likely to be as current as what you’ll find online, but these books are good at outlining the perennial dangers and scams of a given region, from political violence to pickpockets.

Another useful guidebook resource is Robert Young Pelton’s “The World’s Most Dangerous Places,” which evaluates the danger factor in destinations around the globe (including the U.S.), as well as providing relevant historical, cultural and geographical information. “The message is that travel can be dangerous if you want it to be and it can be very safe if you want it to be,” writes Pelton. “Even in a war zone.”

3) Use common sense

Often, the best way to stay safe on the road is to use the same common-sense tactics that keep you safe at home. Don’t wander around drunk at night, don’t befriend pushy or shady characters, and don’t stray into dicey neighborhoods. In maintaining this awareness, don’t overcompensate and fall into knee-jerk paranoia — a sure way to ruin your experience anywhere. Instead, cultivate a simple and instinctive habit of diligence as you travel.

It’s also good to know your geography, and avoid easy generalizations. Instability in Haiti doesn’t necessarily make it dangerous across the border in the Dominican Republic; unrest in Kashmir doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a holiday in Kerala; and violence in Baghdad is no reason to avoid Dubai.

4) Make your indie travel truly independent

The informed, flexible habits you maintain as an independent traveler — straying off the beaten path, immersing yourself in the local culture, patronizing small businesses instead of international chains — already lessen your chances of being a terror target. But, as terror attacks in Dahab, Egypt, and Kuta, Indonesia, have shown, even indie travel hangouts can be targeted by extremists. Thus, regardless of whether you’re a businessman or a backpacker, it’s wise to avoid destinations that have heavy concentrations of travelers — especially if these places have a reputation for drugs, nightclubs, prostitution, or other factors that might scandalize religious extremists.

Moreover, violence aside, straying from the party scene of any destination has subtler rewards, as anyone who’s left the noisy streets of Kuta for inland Bali (or camel-trekked out of Dahab into the Sinai) can attest.

5) Be aware of the true dangers

Are you sure you’re ready to pilot that moped in an unfamiliar country? Road accidents account for far more tourist injuries and deaths than political violence — so use extreme caution when you take your transportation into your own hands overseas.

Sickness and disease is another common danger for travelers, so keep informed by going online and checking the CDC Travelers’ Health page, which posts travel notices, including information on disease outbreaks. Be sure to pay attention to the details — a “Travel Health Precaution” is just a heads-up about specific health risks, whereas a “Travel Health Warning” implies a serious outbreak and recommends against nonessential travel to an area.

My full travel safety article is online here.