Whenever a person or family takes a trip of any considerable distance, there is always questions around traveling safely. During the months and years immediately following the events on September 11, 2001, the travel industry took a huge hit. This was especially true in the airline industry, where everyone was concerned. From top to bottom, ever airport and airline was scrambling to contend with issues of security and all the new security experiments that were implemented to prevent any such event from happening again. Concerns of safe traveling, however, were not, and are not, limited to the airlines. Travel safety seems to have risen to a new level of awareness among American citizens.

It is interesting to ponder the reasons that Americans have become concerned over traveling safety. Surely, safe traveling, like walking to the corner market, has its dangers; and crimes have always been committed against unassuming travelers. One theory behind the pubic awareness of traveling safely has to do with the media, and its utter proliferation and inundation on American culture. Basically, if something bad happens, Americans will hear about it in the news. There are even popular television crime programs that reflect the public fascination with violent crime, and often times, the criminals target travelers.

However, the emphasis on traveling safely is warranted. Too many times in the past, and the present, people are careless and too nonchalant when it comes to their safety while traveling. They fail to lock the doors of their cars, travel alone after dark, give hitchhikers rides, and the list goes on. While it may seem that people have become overly suspicious for whatever reason, their behavior is probably warranted. And regardless of what one may think about media saturation, it would be difficult to make a strong argument forbidding its treatment of traveling safely.

When away from home, traveling safely requires a person to use as much common sense and vigilance as possible. Travelers should be aware of their surroundings and what they would do should a potentially dangerous situation arise. Better yet, exercise good judgment and avoid situations that might invite danger altogether. When it comes to traveling safely, one must demonstrate appropriate vigilance. This is the only sure way to ensure that one does not become a victim.