Road travel danger to travellers

Although terrorist attacks and kidnappings may be front of a traveller’s mind when they think of associated dangers on a business trip, road travel cause more fatalities and injuries in business travellers, said Collinson’s Head of Corporate Travel, Randall Gordon-Duff. “This is due to a myriad of issues, from poor road conditions and driving standards found in some countries, to badly maintained vehicles, poor adherence to basic road laws, lack of signage, exposure to opportunistic crime or car jackings, or simply driver error due to tiredness or alcohol misuse,” he adds.

According to findings from the World Health Organization (WHO), the top 10 most dangerous nations to drive in are Eritrea, Dominican Republic, Libya, Thailand, Venezuela, Nigeria, South Africa, Iraq, Guinea-Bissau and Oman. Collinson has advised business travellers heading to these locations not to travel at night due to the conditions of some of the roads and an increased chance of encountering other vehicles without working lights.

Collinson’s Global Security Director Peter Cooper said: “In many of these countries there is an increased risk of crime, so we advise against allowing workers to self-drive and recommend using secure escorts with trusted, comprehensively trained drivers, possibly through a journey management service.”