For the über-Road Warriors - those who spend their lives on the road

When planning to drive around in another country, we usually think of ourselves as being fully prepared once we have our international driver's licenses, insurances, booked that rental car and have our routes -- whether with the help of a map or a gps) established.

What many of us fail to consider is that the place where we will be driving around MAY be a problem. A big problem.

First, let's take a look at what the State Government has to say about Road Safety Abroad:

"An estimated 1.17 million deaths occur each year worldwide due to road accidents. The majority of these deaths, about 70 percent, occur in developing countries.  Sixty-five percent of deaths involve pedestrians and 35 percent of pedestrian deaths are children. Over 10 million people are crippled or injured each year. It is estimated that more than 200 U.S. citizens die each year due to road accidents abroad.

You may also want to review specific country Background Notes for any country in which you intend to drive or travel by road as a passenger. Check with the embassy or consulate of the countries where you will visit to learn about requirements for driver's licenses, road permits, and auto insurance. It is important to be aware of the rules of the road in other countries, and the fact that road conditions can vary widely."

Next, you may want to check USAToday's World's Most Dangerous Roads to see if the place where you are planning to drive is part of that list. 

If so, you may want to reconsider and arrange other ways of transport while you are there.