The Risks

'It won't happen to me'

You're on holiday. Of course nothing truly horrible can happen ... can it?

Oh yes it can.

Where Dangers and Losses are Greatest

According to the The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has produced the following information on the 5 specific locations abroad are where dangers lurk and injuries are most likely to occur.

1. Roads

Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) injuries range from simple bruises to severe head/body injuries requiring life-saving surgery.

In places like Greece, Italy and Spain, an all-too-frequent scenario is the young (and not-so- young) stud aiming to impress with his skills on the moped.

Hospitals throughout Europe and farther afield paint an altogether sorrier story.

Hopefully the casualties took out proper medical insurance before they booked the trip.

Otherwise the real cost of that mad moment of machismo doesn't bear thinking about.

If alcohol's a factor there's no hope of a successful claim. The same goes for marijuana.

Being under the influence of alcohol or taking illegal drugs - not surprisingly - will completely wipe out any claim.

Fatalities

Inevitably some RTAs result in fatalities especially in Eastern Europe and less developed countries, where road traffic accidents pose one of the biggest threats.

But even countries where you would expect to find higher motoring standards - New Zealand, say - aren't all that they seem.

Here's a quick traffic round-up to various destinations around the globe that will give you food for thought - and send you rushing to examine the small print of your travel insurance policy more closely...

Belgium - Good motorway network but traffic is fast and the accident rate is high due to speeding.

Cambodia - popular with backpackers - is a minefield, literally. Avian bird flu aside, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office lists the greatest risks here as:

• road traffic accidents
• armed robbery after dark
• landmines and unexploded ordnance in rural areas

and in that order.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - traffic accidents are a regular occurrence, again especially after dark.

Cuba - Roads are poorly lit and signposted. Most Cubans maintain their own vehicles and MOT-wise leave a lot to be desired. Watch out for potholes and cars that suddenly screech to a halt to pick up hitchhikers. You should avoid driving by night - stray animals and unlit vehicles are a real danger, as are drink drivers.

If you have a traffic accident where someone is killed or injured, the police investigation may take months during which time the driver won't normally be allowed to leave Cuba.

If you're a victim of an RTA there's no guarantee that criminal compensation payments will be made. If you were in the driving seat and are found guilty, expect at least 2 years behind bars.

If the worst happens and you do have a serious accident, contact the British Embassy as soon as possible.

France - The motorways are fantastic but speed limits are higher than in the UK and the accident rate is greater. It's one of the top destinations for UK drivers. Plan journeys and take regular breaks - a minimum of 15 minutes every two hours.

Morocco has a poor road safety record. Accidents are a regular occurrence, especially on busy major routes. The main road from Agadir to Marrakesh via Imi'n Tanoute and Chichaoua is particularly hairy.

Italy - If you rent a car in Italy check the rental insurance terms carefully. Some policies won't cover an accident that does not include a third party eg a collision with a wall. Certain provisions in policies, such as fire and theft, might not apply for all regions of Italy.

Sri Lanka - Buses are poorly maintained and drivers often have little or no training.

Private bus drivers are like men possessed - their wage packet depends on how many passengers they cram in, so they race each other to the next bus station.

In April this year, a bus was hit by a train after ignoring a level crossing signal. 35 bus passengers were killed.

Turkey has a particularly unenviable road safety record. Road conditions and driving standards are poor with serious traffic accidents common particularly at night.

New Zealand - Estimated 15-20,000 supporters made a beeline there for the British Lions Tour this July.

No doubt they'd be surprised by the fact that serious road accidents are more common than in the UK.

The right of way rules are different, for a start. Plus that, motor insurance isn't a legal requirement so private accident insurance is a must.

There's no right of accident victims to sue a third party in the event of an accident. Instead the Accident Compensation Commission (ACC) helps pay for your care if you're injured in a road accident.

It won't cover costs associated with illness and only covers part of the cost of treatment in New Zealand.

Delayed travel or loss of income in a third country isn't covered.

One final, sobering thought. Should you be killed in a Road Traffic Accident abroad, trauma of close family aside, the cost of sending your remains back home - or a funeral abroad - can run into thousands.

Inevitably some RTAs result in fatalities. As well as the trauma for close family, the costs of returning your remains or a funeral abroad can run into thousands.

The British Embassy won't pay and the E111 form doesn't cover it - it's down to your family.

2. The Beach

It's a battlefield out there.

In the Water

You could drown, have a Jet Ski accident (becoming more common with an increasing number of fatalities), a parascending accident, or suffer head and neck injuries from diving into the sea or as a result of heavy surf.

Diving accidents can result in the bends.

On the Beach

On dry land, being hit by sun umbrellas on the Spanish beach or even falling coconuts in the Carribean are more common that you'd think. And could result in hospitalisation or your holiday being cut short.

Severe sunburn and dehydration are de rigueur, especially if alcohol consumption is excessive.

Brits in particular are well known to foreign medics for the 'Lobster on the Beach' symptoms.

But a serious case of over-exposure to the sun - what at first looks like a 'healthy' red - can all too often turn into a 3rd degree burn.

Long-term skin cancers and short-term heatstroke are just two of the dangers.

Not cheap, if it the sunstroke means hospitalisation, especially when all you're covered for is baggage and holiday cancellation or delay.

So cover up - use factor 25 sun block if in doubt - and make sure you're covered for travel health insurance.

3. Hotels

Rooms

Balcony falls are common - often in the wee small hours of the morning after too many Budweisers or Archers.

Even taking sensible, self-help precautions - such as stocking up on sprays and/or creams containing the chemical DEET, famed for its mosquito-repellent properties - can backfire.

One Welsh traveller we know, maddened by mosquitoes, went slightly OTT with the DEET.

She used up the contents of an entire can in her enclosed bedroom in a Greek taverna on the beautiful island of Thassos.

Fortunately her initial gagging noises - which swiftly escalated to the sound of a braying donkey - alerted people in the next room to the fact that all was not well.

They either had a stray donkey next door or a seriously ill holidaymaker. They burst open the door only to find her collapsed in a gasping heap on the floor.

The chemicals in the spray had combined to close her air tubes.

Enter a wise old Greek granny who swiftly administered an herbal remedy involving greens from the back garden. But if that girl traveller hadn't been found at that point she could have been going home in a box.

Absolutely terrifying, isn't it...?

Swimming Pools

Slipping on wet tiles and diving in the wrong end/shallow pools resulting in cuts and bruises are common hazards.

The very unlucky end up paralysed as a result of a fractured neck/broken back.

Food and Stomach

Gastro-enteritis is common thanks to the change in diet or poor food hygiene.

4. Remote Locations

Tropical Diseases

Increased travel to far-off places has resulted in a higher chance of contracting tropical diseases.

Medical Evacuation

In remote locations medical facilities can be primitive and necessitate immediate medical evacuation.

In Africa you may need to cross borders to South Africa or Kenya.

Some of the former Eastern Bloc countries - Latvia for instance - also have poor or developing infrastructures, so you'll need to be evacuated to places such as Turkey or back to the UK.

5. Ski slopes

Winter sports can prove hazardous to novice and experienced skier alike.

Ski Injuries

1. The top 5 ski injuries taken from a sample of 400 cases were:
2. Knee ligament injuries (30% of all cases);
3. Fractured tibia
4. Fractured/sprained wrists
5. Back injuries
6. Dislocated shoulders

Injury Destinations

Top 6 destinations where ski injuries occurred 1999-2000 season were:

1. France: 45%
2. Austria: 19%
3. Italy: 18%
4. USA: 11%
5. Switzerland: 4%
6. Canada: 3%

The above statistics were taken from a sample of 400 cases and provided by FirstAssist, one of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office partners in the Know Before You Go Campaign.