The young man who was kept in Cuba after a traffic accident certainly brought the issue to Canadian households.

He was not hurt but detained for weeks before he was set free to come back home.

The bigger issue goes to car rentals and general traffic mishaps.

It is a fact that more people are killed on vacations as a result of traffic incidents that anything else.

Where there are vehicles there are challenges away from home.

Some countries drivers think their car is a weapon.

In countries like England where they drive on the “wrong side”, stepping onto streets without looking has caused many fatalities.

And even public transportation is not without its risks.

Some are simply a matter of fate, but others are preventable.

Signage alone, in a foreign language in a different style, can be confusing and lead to mishaps.

Even in Canada where we may think rules are the same, you don’t want to be turning left on a blinking green light in Vancouver.

It is not the signal to safely proceed.

Renting a motorcycle in foreign countries, unless you are really experienced, is not likely a good idea. The same holds true for the scooters and even bicycles.

I saw it happen on a trip I took a number of years ago. We rented scooters with a group, and as luck would have it two young ladies lost control on a downhill curve and narrowly escaped serious injury.

The facts are there. So travel carefully and if you are going to rent a vehicle, or just plan to walk around aimlessly, be certain no one is aiming at you.