The Risks
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Study Abroad Safety Links
Over 200,000 students study abroad annually, benefiting from this unique and often life-altering experience. Study abroad programs have expanded their choice of destinations to include more “exotic” locations, often in developing countries. As young people travel abroad in growing numbers, the risk of being involved in a road crash increases. The risk of road crash injury or death is even greater in developing countries.
Road crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for healthy Americans traveling abroad. Young people, ages 15-24, are at greatest risk. They represent the largest number of pedestrians and users of public transportation and are more prone to taking risks.
Study Abroad Programs have many procedures and policies in place to help students avoid dangerous situations, medical emergencies and threats to personal security. However, even the most carefully conceived student orientation and crisis management plans sometimes lack a comprehensive system of addressing road safety. The need to educate and inform the study abroad community about the risks associated with road travel is paramount.
ASIRT has developed road safety resources to help study abroad professionals and risk managers plan safe itineraries, train on and off-site staff and provide students with the tools to make safe, informed choices during their stay abroad.
ASIRT provides resources for everyone involved in the study abroad experience. The materials address the specific needs of program administrators, faculty, on and off-site staff, parents and students. These tools incorporate road safety as a core component of program and itinerary planning and include pre-departure and on-site training for staff and students. User-friendly materials are available on-line, and can be distributed, for use on campus, and on-site. ASIRT offers hands-on, interactive and customized training for campus and program professionals. See below for a summary of strategies and resources geared to each group.
ASIRT’s resources are available to Study Abroad members (link: membership section). For a complete listing of ASIRT’s road safety resources for individual and corporate travelers, as well as Study Abroad Members see “Resources and Publications” .
ASIRT aims to raise awareness among professionals of the importance of making road safety a priority when planning itineraries and programs. ASIRT materials provide program administrators with an understanding of the causes of road crashes offer effective strategies to reduce road travel risks. Factors involved in road crashes include human error (as drivers or pedestrians), poor roads and conditions and faulty vehicles. Strategies include the development of road safety guidelines, safety preparedness training and student orientation. ASIRT provides the following resources to help professionals:
§ A Global Road Safety Toolbox for the Study Abroad Community: (link to resources page): This 100-page manual provides professionals with useful guidelines to plan road safe itineraries and programs, train on and off-site faculty and prepare students to make safe, informed choices while studying abroad. The Toolbox includes numerous user-friendly checklists for program administrators to ensure that vehicles and drivers meet safety standards; and to enable students to make safe choices as pedestrians and passengers of buses, taxis and private vehicles.
§ Road Travel Reports: ASIRT’s user-friendly Road Travel Reports on 150 countries describe general road conditions; frequent road crash sites; national road safety statistics; driver behaviors; driving regulations; urban, rural, night, and seasonal travel precautions; pedestrian, passenger and cycle safety tips; quality and availability of emergency medical care, emergency procedures and contact information. Click here to read more on RTRs.
§ Seminars: ASIRT offers road safety training seminars to study abroad professionals and students. These highly acclaimed workshops are tailored to the specific needs of the participants, and include strategies and best practices to incorporate road safety training into program and itinerary planning and student pre-departure, campus and on site orientations. Participants receive materials excerpted from the toolbox including checklists, role playing scenarios and sample Road Travel Reports.
§ Speak up for Safety Cards: Wallet-sized cards that include important road safety phrases in Russian, Chinese, Spanish, and English.
§ Safety Checklists: A comprehensive list of road safety precautions that program administrators should take when planning a trip.
§ Online Forum: Members are invited to participate in the Study Abroad Online Forum of Best Practices in the Study Abroad Community. (Under construction)
Families play an important role in developing students’ sense of personal responsibility for their own safety. Parents can stress the importance of becoming informed about the specific conditions, driver behaviors and existing regulations in host countries, and participate in the road safety education of their student travelers. Parents can advocate on behalf of their children for road safety pre-departure orientation and on-site training. Families can access ASIRT’s Road Travel Reports and other safety resources on-line. Finally, families can encourage the study abroad program administrators to become ASIRT Study Abroad members, and avail themselves of the many useful resources, including Road Travel Reports, Speak up for Safety cards and ASIRT’s Safety Checklists. (link to resources page).
The study abroad experience can be an invaluable opportunity to gain an understanding of and appreciation for the diverse people and cultures of the world away from home. While many decisions are made by professionals and parents, students have many opportunities to make their own choices about matters that relate to their personal safety. ASIRT’s resources can help students make informed choices about how, when, where and with whom to travel, both on and off-site. The resources also provide students with decision-making tools and strategies when encountering uncomfortable, potentially unsafe situations. See complete list of resources, including Road Travel reports, Checklists and safety cards.
Study Abroad members gain access to a number of useful and educational resources and programming. Additionally, members are listed on ASIRT’s website, and other widely distributed publications.
- A Global Road Safety Toolbox for the Study Abroad Community: This 100-page manual provides professionals with useful guidelines to plan road safe itineraries and programs, train on and off-site faculty and prepare students to make safe, informed choices while studying abroad. The Toolbox includes numerous user-friendly checklists for program administrators to ensure that vehicles and drivers meet safety standards; to enable students to make safe choices as pedestrians and passengers of buses, taxis and private vehicles.
- Road Travel Reports: ASIRT’s user-friendly Road Travel Reports on 150 countries describe general road conditions; frequent road crash sites; national road safety statistics; driver behaviors; driving regulations; urban, rural, night, and seasonal travel precautions; pedestrian, passenger and cycle safety tips; quality and availability of emergency medical care, emergency procedures and contact information. Click here to read more on RTRs.
- Seminars: ASIRT offers road safety training seminars to study abroad professionals and students. These highly acclaimed workshops are tailored to the specific needs of the participants, and include strategies and best practices to incorporate road safety training into program and itinerary planning and student pre-departure, campus and on site orientations. Participants receive materials excerpted from the toolbox including checklists, role playing scenarios and sample Road Travel Reports.
- Speak up for Safety Cards: Wallet-sized cards that include important road safety phrases in Russian, Chinese, Spanish, and English.
- Safety Checklists: A comprehensive list of road safety precautions that program administrators should take when planning a trip.
- Online Forum: Members are invited to participate in the Study Abroad Online Forum of Best Practices in the Study Abroad Community. Under construction)
Membership Rates:
Programs that send under 30 students abroad annually $200
Programs that send 30- 100 students abroad annually $250
Programs that send over 100 students abroad annually $400
One time Faculty led programs $ 50
Members that renew within 6 months of expiration date receive $50 discount
Register Online
In order to register online:
1. Log in (link to log in section). If you are not already a member, please register.
2. Click on your username, which will appear in the upper right hand corner.
3. Click “Manage Services”
4. Click subscription of choice
5. Download Membership & Order form to request resources.
Register by Mail or Fax
Download membership form,complete and send to:
Association for Safe International Road Travel
11769 Gainsborough Rd.
Potomac, MD 20852
Membership is not required to purchase any of the above resources. They can be purchased individually on ASIRT Resources page.
Study abroad members include:
Academic Risk Resources & Insurance, LLC
Beloit College
Bentley College
California State University
Dickinson College
Drake University
George Washington University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Goucher College
Hampden-Sydney College
Haverford College
Lincoln University
Lynn University
Meredith College
Michigan State University
Penn State University
Pomona College of Study Abroad
Rhode Island School of Design
Roanoke College
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Smith College
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Suffolk University
Truman State University
Tufts University
University of California-Davis Summer Program
University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts College of Engineering
University of Massachusetts School of Management
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Villanova University
Western Illinois University
West Virginia University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
“I believe that a Global Road Safety Toolbox for the Study Abroad Community and ASIRT’s many other efforts contribute greatly to educating the traveling public on road safety. I am convinced this Toolbox will help save American lives on roads and highways overseas.”
—Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary of State, The Bureau of Consular Affairs, Washington D.C.
“An internationally-focused Road Safety Manual for Study Abroad Administrators will fill a long-standing need in the field. Along with its country-specific Road Travel Reports, ASIRT has taken the lead on this one safety issue and promises to serve as a first-rate resource for all who plan education abroad programs.”
—Adrian Beaulieu, Associate Dean of International Study, Smith College, Amherst, MA
“It is incumbent on everyone involved in the education abroad enterprise to prepare students, educators, hosts and parents alike. This handbook is intended to aid all of these individuals in the process of encouraging education abroad participants to be safe road travelers.”
—Carl Herrin, Director of Government Relations, American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS, Washington D.C.
Study Abroad, www.studyabroad.com
“Parents Guide to Study Abroad”, www.studyabroad.com/parents~guide/index.html
Thompson-Peters.com, www.petersons.com
The Center for Global Education, http://www.globaled.us
Open Doors, http://opendoors.iienetwork.org
World Health Organization, www.who.int/en/
“Study Abroad Handbook”, www.studentsabroad.com