Safety

Seven men were hung off three bridges in Mexico, 62 people killed in one day in El Salvador and all the other terrible and horrific headlines you hear about Mexico and Central America. So…is it safe to drive in Mexico and Central America? Yes! Is it safe to drive with your family? Yes!

When Sebastian suggested driving the Pan American Highway my anxiety kicked in full throttle. I was terrified of driving through mainland Mexico and Central America…especially with our 1 1/2 year old son…and like you, I’d heard the horrific stories of the murders and be-headings. I made my mind up about the countries before even really stepping foot in one. On top of that, whenever Sebastian or I would tell people our plans, the response we would get was either “be careful” or “did you hear about…” People want you to know the crazy stories they hear and guess what…we’ve heard them too. We just choose to not focus on them. And I get it…I’m a worrier and I’ll admit that I find myself thinking of all the terrible things that could happen. But that’s just it…could happen…that doesn’t mean they will. We count something out based on stories we heard instead of experiences we’ve had.

When we were in El Salvador, Sebastian’s cousin (who was in Germany) asked if we were OK. As Sebastian sipped on a beer while swinging in a hammock he replied with “yea, why?” Sebastian’s cousin read in the news that there was a state of emergency in El Salvador because there were 62 murders in a 24 hour period. We hadn’t heard anything about the murders let alone the state of emergency. We later learned that a gang member was released from prison which sparked a “war” with the rival gang. The murders were of gang members in an area that was known as dangerous. Meaning, if you’re a tourist…you would have never been in that area.

Media plays a huge role in how we perceive people and other countries. And that’s the sad part…a lot of people don’t/won’t explore other countries because they are too intimidated by what they hear in the media. Of course you should always be cautious and vigilant…that’s true for ANYWHERE you go…even your own neighborhood, but don’t let the media intimidate you from meeting new people and cultures and experiencing things outside of your comfort zone. There are truly some pretty incredible people out there! For every one horrific story you hear in the media there are 1000 untold positive ones. How do I know this? Because we experienced it. We met some of the kindest people who were so generous and welcoming going out of their way to invite us in to their homes, offering to be our own personal tour guides and just excited that we were visiting their country and seeing what it had to offer. Of course, each person has their own experiences and one person could have a completely different experience than another but we never felt unsafe in any of the countries we visited and are so glad we got to experience each one fully.

There are dangerous areas in every country but don’t let that stop you from having a genuine experience that you can’t buy.

If you’re thinking about traveling to Mexico or Central America and are dragging your feet due to fear…know that I was right there with you. I was terrified of Central America and wanted to blow through it as quickly as possible, but as we started traveling and meeting locals and other travelers, I got more comfortable. My impressions of Central America were no longer based off of stories I read but actual experiences I was having and my views changed…in a positive way. And if you’re still unsure, here are a couple of tips to hopefully help you feel a little more comfortable…

• Stay at campgrounds or in secure parking lots. Throughout Mexico and Central America they range from $5-$20 and they are always safe and secure. You can find tons of recommendations all over the world in the app iOverlander.

• Meet other overlanders and travel together. There’s safety in numbers and what’s amazing about the overlander way of travel is that you meet so many other people traveling the same way and typically taking a similar route. By simply talking with people and sharing stories, you learn of safe places to stay, safe routes to take and you may even make a lifelong friend. There are also Facebook groups you can join before your trip where you can connect with other travelers and if you find someone going the same way…you now have a travel buddy.

• Avoid driving at night. Not necessarily due to high crime rate but in Mexico and Central America there are tons of “free range” animals and it’s sometimes difficult to avoid them during the day so at night its a whole other level of stress. Plus a lot of the roads are on the rougher side and contain numerous potholes which are much harder to avoid at night. So stick to day driving if possible.

• Obviously, avoid countries with political unrest and dangerous or gang related areas. In Honduras we were told the areas to avoid, which we did, and traveled around the rest of the country which was beautiful…one of our favorites in fact. Typically, just a portion of a country is dangerous so avoid those areas and enjoy the rest!

I hope this helps ease your mind a bit or at least gives you a new perspective on traveling in Mexico and Central America. And if you have kids think of it as an added bonus. For us, I feel like we got special treatment because of Lucas. People wanted to touch Lucas’ curly blonde hair, take pictures with him and even police lit up when they saw the toddler in the back saying “hey-yo.” Don’t be afraid to expose your kids to new countries. It’s a huge asset to their growth and it helps them understand that the world is filled with all types of people and cultures. Again, use your best judgement and avoid putting your kids in questionable situations. But as far as safety goes, we felt very comfortable traveling with Lucas and welcomed the friendly conversations he sparked with strangers. So on that note…safe travels and…have fun!