USA Health and Safety

Despite its seemingly Babylon-like dangers - guns, violent crime, earthquakes, tornadoes - the USA is actually a very safe country to visit. Perhaps the single greatest danger for travellers is posed by car accidents on America's highways, and the two greatest annoyances will be auto traffic in the cities and crowds at popular sites.

Outdoor activities have their own sets of dangers and annoyances, but these vary with the terrain and the sport. The best advice is to talk to rangers about any risks posed by wildlife or the elements, and whether bugs and mosquitoes will be a particular problem when you'll be visiting.

In most major cities, pickpocketing is unfortunately par for the course, so take sensible precautions when dealing with your valuables.