These safety tidbits could save your nerves and quite possibly, your life.

When I meet people for the first time—on an airplane, at a conference, in a seminar or anywhere else—sooner or later, they ask me this question: “What do you do for a living?”

I have prepared a selection of responses to this inquiry, depending on whether or not I want the conversation to continue (“I’m an astronaut”) or end immediately (“I practice proctology”). However, on the occasions when I come clean about my work (“I help companies prevent the robbery, rape, kidnapping and murder of their traveling employees”), I usually get a couple of follow-up questions.

First: “Is traveling overseas really that dangerous?” Next: “Hey, I’m going to be traveling to [fill in the blank] next month. What advice do you have for me?”

My answer to the first question goes something like this: “Yes, travel exposes unsuspecting travelers to a host of hazards, and not just overseas. There are dangers in every city on every continent.”

My customary answer to the second question is a glib, “Don’t go.” After all, for me to offer up a couple of pearls to make a person feel better about his decision to travel to [fill in the blank] can be both disingenuous and dangerous.

Nevertheless, the same questions keep surfacing. To head off them off at the pass, I’ve taken the top travel tips from my book, Travel Can Be Murder, and listed them here. That way, if we should ever meet, we’ll be able to jump- start our conversation. Moreover, if you follow these travel tips (here comes the disclaimer)—in most cases, you will reduce your risk of being victimized.

12. Don’t go.

Granted, this is really a ‘don’t travel’ tip, but it bears mentioning. If you genuinely feel that you could be in danger by traveling to your destination, don’t go. Applying some creativity may lead you to find another way to accomplish your business goal without having to make an in-person visit. It’s not worth risking your life to advance your career.

11. Know where to go and how to get there.

Before you leave home, contact a friend, colleague or government official who is familiar with your destination and can give you the skinny on how to get around. Study a map of the area to plot out your routes ahead of time, and take the map with you. (Important corollary to this tip: Know what places to avoid and how to circumvent them.)

10. Pack a “survival” kit.

My kit includes a small flashlight (in case of power failure), duct tape (to prevent smoke
from entering a hotel room where I might have to await rescue from a fire) and, of
course, a cell phone (that will work at my destination).

9. Get your rest, and avoid alcohol and other drugs.

Travelers who are confused, tired, drunk or doped up are easy prey. Combine any of these vulnerabilities and your chances of being victimized increase substantially.

8. Keep a low profile.

Affluent Americans and employees of American corporations are prime targets when traveling internationally. Don’t advertise your wealth, citizenship or company affiliation. Leave expensive jewelry at home, cover your identification and remove your company’s logos from your clothing and luggage.

7. Travel light, and keep moving.

Criminals prefer stationary and slow-moving targets—the expression is “sitting ducks”—so you want to be able to move smartly along your way. Carry only what you need in transit. If you have excess luggage or cumbersome items to transport, ship them in advance.

6. Make eye contact.

Develop a habit of looking around and making eye contact with others—especially those behind you. A strong deterrent to crime is the possibility of being caught. A criminal is way more likely to be caught if he knows he can be identified.

5. Stay with others.

Criminals prefer lone targets. There is safety in numbers, even if those numbers include strangers.

4. Protect your identity.

When you make reservations, use only your first initial and last name. Even if you’re a cautious traveler, few things will disarm you more than a stranger calling your name. While you are trying to figure out how you know the guy who called out to you, he may be figuring out how to snatch your goodies. And, if you are a woman, using only your first initial means advance notice of your gender is denied to anyone who may be lying in wait.

3. Trust your instincts.

Listen to your internal danger alert system, and act on its warnings. In most cases, it won’t let you down.

2. Never trust others to manage your safety.

You are ultimately responsible for your personal safety while traveling.

1. Never trust others to manage your safety.

This tip is so important it bears repeating: Only you are responsible for your safety -- no one else.

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TERRY RILEY is a psychologist (appliedpsychology.com) and internationally recognized authority on understanding, managing and influencing business travel behavior. He is also the author of Travel Can Be Murder, C.H.A.R.M. School and The Complete Travel Diet.