8 Travel Safety Tips You Ignore That Are Actually Extremely Important

No one expects to experience a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or other emergency while they're abroad. But if you do, you'll want to be prepared. Enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) before you leave, and the nearest U.S. Embassy will easily be able to find and help you if something bad happens (either abroad or back home, like a family emergency).

STEP enrollees will also receive real-time updates about health, weather, safety, and security in the country that they’re visiting.

Leave an itinerary with a trusted friend or family member back home before you go. That way, if you don't return they'll know exactly where to begin the search, instead of trying to piece together your steps through social media postings. This can also be helpful if you have a family member that worries when you travel—if they hear of something bad happening in the general region that you're traveling, they can double-check that you're not actually near there.

It seems like a hassle to make a copy of your passport, but if yours gets stolen or lost while abroad, you'll be really glad that you took the extra 10 seconds to do it. If you don't want to carry paper around, you can also scan your passport and e-mail it to yourself, so you'll be able to access it anywhere.

I know I’m guilty of this—I usually turn to my phone for entertainment whenever I'm bored on the subway or bus. Unfortunately, having your phone out makes you a target for petty thieves, especially on crowded public transit. It's easy for criminals to snatch your phone out of your hand and jump off at the next stop if you're not paying attention.

Keep this in mind when you’re walking around with your phone out for directions. Instead of holding it in your hand while you navigate, pull over and check the way discreetly, and then put your phone away while walking.

When in a foreign destination, you might be tempted to be a little more lax than at home when wearing your seatbelt or taking a scooter out for a spin. However, the most common cause of death for Americans abroad is traffic accidents.

So be careful: Insist on a taxi that has seatbelts (even in the backseat), don't drive yourself if you're not comfortable with the roads (especially if you're driving on a different side than at home), and always wear a helmet while on a scooter, bicycle, or moped.

Since we were kids, we've been conditioned to dial 911 in case of an emergency, but if you dial those three numbers while abroad, you're not likely to get any help. Learn the local emergency numbers for police/fire/EMS (in some countries, these are all different numbers) and save them to your phone (if your phone will work at your destination). In a dangerous situation, every second counts.

It can be tempting to unbuckle when the seatbelt sign is off (or even when it's on) just to get a little more comfortable in your tiny airplane seat. But if turbulence strikes, you could be seriously injured when you're not securely strapped in.

You shouldn’t cancel your trip just because the U.S. State Department has issued a caution, warning, or advisory for your destination, but it is essential to at least read them so you know what to look out for.