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| In
1996, our daughter Sara viewed study abroad as an
important part of her university experience. Tragedy
struck and she was killed as a passenger on a bus in India
1996 and if we had known then what we know now about road
travel in India, we may have been able to help her. We are
providing this information to help students, parents and
other family members, college and university faculty and
staff, and others to be safe when traveling and studying
abroad, to honor our daughter, Sara's wish to help others
and learn about the world outside the U.S.
Since 1996, there have been a number of advances in the materials and information available from the U.S. government, colleges, universities and study abroad programs, other organizations, as well as support available through insurance and emergency assistance providers. There have also been domestic and international meetings and workshops supporting improved health and safety policies and procedures to support U.S. college and university students. We have collaborated with some of these organizations to develop the video "Know Before You Go", and to put together the information you will find on our website. The following information and links are intended to help inform you, as students, parents, and friends who may go abroad or support others who do, that knowing more about good study abroad program practices and health and safety challenges in countries around the world can help students have a healthy and safe time abroad. Foreign travel and study abroad remains an invaluable learning experience, broadening a student's world view and enhancing the college experience. While there have been advancements in the field since this incident to ensure student safety, precautions must still be taken, students and families need to research about benefits and risks associated with a particular location and/or program, and understand that the quality of support does vary from institution to institution and from program to program. Remember: Three Rules that Could SAVE YOUR LIFE
The following links provide you with resources and information to help students study abroad with health and safety in mind:
Lack of highway safety standards make Indian roads an international hazard.Seasoned travelers try to avoid bus travel in India, where 75,000 road accidents take place every year. To drive in India, says Lonely Planet Online, you need "nerves of steel and excellent karma." Indian drivers are known as "fearless and innovative," according to one Atlantic Monthly travel writer, and as a result, Americans abroad often choose to travel by train. The subcontinent is crisscrossed with railroads laid down by British colonists, which adhere to a much greater standard of international travel safety than the highways. After Sara's death, we learned of other Semester at Sea participants who were shocked by the number of crash sites they passed on Indian roads.
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