Traffic and Road Safety

Driving habits, traffic patterns and road conditions may be very different from those in the U.S. Students should keep in mind that the rate of traffic accidents and fatalities is as much as seven times higher in some countries than it is in the U.S. Even in Europe, the roads are not as safe as in the U.S.

We strongly discourage students from driving any motorized vehicle while abroad, because of differences in driving conditions and informal rules of the road.  Many OCS providers (such as IES and SIT) prohibit students from driving while enrolled on their programs.

Students should exercise extra caution when crossing streets, especially when they first arrive. The pedestrian "right of way" is non-existent in most places outside the U.S., so students should not assume that drivers will watch out for them.

In some countries, drivers consider traffic signals to be recommendations, not obligatory—they may not necessarily stop at red lights.

Students studying abroad in countries like the UK, Australia and New Zealand where drivers keep to the left hand side of the street should be especially careful of oncoming traffic when stepping off of the curb.

Before taking ubers, taxis or buses, students should ask their program about the safety records of various companies. In some places, it may not be safe to take an uber or taxi alone.