In an age where terrorism is at the front of everyone's mind, travel can seem like a pretty dangerous adventure. Tragedies like the terrorist attack in Paris cause a dip in tourism, but the most dangerous aspects of travel aren't what you think.
In TravelPulse's article What Should Travelers Really Be Worried About?, they give an overview of what is actually the most popular cause for the death of American tourists who travel abroad. You may find yourself surprised at the findings.
Because it dates back to the 1st century, terrorism is not new historically speaking. But with the media's habit of covering events intensely and quickly in hopes of being the most popular news source, they tend to raise hairs on one dangerous subject while completely ignoring another.
That is not to say that terrorism should be downplayed from tragedy to coincidence, but maybe people should inform themselves on other common dangers. For instance, TIME's writer Jane E. Boon recently traveled to Egypt where her travel plans were met by skeptical friends.
Jane states in her recent article in the times:
"Images of the downed Metrojet plane in November surely informed their opinion. But a review of the U.S. State Department’s registry of American deaths abroad reveals that the horror of the Metrojet bombing obscures reality: It turns out Egyptian drivers are responsible for far more American fatalities than Egyptian terrorists."
The data supports Jane's statement. Between October 2002 and June 2015, a total of 10,545 Americans died abroad due to non-natural causes. The leading cause of death -- traffic accidents. Tallying in at 3,104, traffic accidents are more likely to kill American travelers than homicide, which came in second at 2,000.
Another surprising finding seemed to be the number of drownings. Certain countries were dangerous due to their water-based attractions. With 1,320 deaths by drowning, places like Mexico, the Bahamas and Costa Rica are to be treated with caution around activities like swimming, diving and other water activities.
So, as the data supports, it looks like the dangers travelers really need to worry about are day to day safety issues in unique cultural surroundings. Drive, swim and explore safely.
For more travel safety advice check out 5 Tips for Safe Travel.
