Hints for Safer Travel in a Dangerous World : Security: Consultant’s book offers important advice on avoiding everything from terrorism to petty theft.

The terrorist explosion that damaged the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, last month and the periodic bombings that plague London are sharp reminders that much of the world, including popular tourist destinations, can be dangerous.

This should not be seen as a reason to stay home. But whenever and wherever you travel, you ought to keep your eyes open.

One of the best resources for travelers looking for advice on personal security abroad is a slender guidebook, “The Safe Travel Book” by Peter Savage (Lexington, $12.95), which has just been published in a revised and updated edition. A former Foreign Service officer in Latin America, Savage is the director of a consulting firm that advises corporations on how to keep their employees safe on international business trips.

Savage’s tips on traveling safely, whether it’s on a business or vacation trip, range from how to avoid life-threatening possibilities to protecting yourself against more mundane hazards. By his account, the most common traveler’s injury is “stubbed and broken toes from walking barefoot in an unlit, unfamiliar hotel or guest room.”

As Savage readily acknowledges, reading his book could “tend to scare people away from travel” because he details so many potential disasters. Indeed, his book has been criticized by some travel agents, he says, as “bad news.” But he considers this shortsighted. In his view, to be aware of the possibility of danger is the best way to avoid it.

As a frequent traveler himself, Savage constantly keeps alert to what is happening around him whether he is in an airport, a hotel lobby, a restaurant or walking on the street. In truth, his customary precautions do make him sound a bit like a paranoid fussbudget, but, he says, “I pay attention, and I’ve never had a problem.”

The good news he offers is that air traffic security has improved in the aftermath of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December, 1988, making “airports and airlines an unattractive target for terrorist adventures.” On the other hand, the breakup of the former Soviet Union has brought economic turmoil to parts of Eastern Europe, and street crime against tourists is increasing in the new republics. Instability in some nations of Africa, Latin America and Asia also has an ominous portent.

But just when you think maybe you would be safer vacationing this summer at a nearby beach, Savage puts the threat of danger abroad in perspective. Although American travelers “should be increasingly alert to the hazards of overseas travel in certain parts of the world,” he says, crime statistics indicate “that it is safer to travel abroad than it is to walk down a city street at night in the United States.”

In fact, after a stubbed toe, Savage’s research indicates that the most frequent problems afflicting travelers abroad are lost luggage on a flight, being bumped from an oversold flight, dehydration or diarrhea from drinking impure water, being “ripped off” by currency exchange traders or taxi drivers, and pickpocket theft at popular tourist sites.

Still, the potential for more serious problems always exists. Business travelers often are dispatched to troubled parts of the world, and a stable destination can erupt suddenly and intrude on a vacation trip. Savage’s book has advice for practically any conceivable hazard affecting personal security.

If you are bound for a country where an unstable situation could result in upheaval, Savage suggests you get answers to several important questions before you go:

* Is there an “overriding development” at your destination that means you should not go? Violence can’t always be predicted, but you should put some effort into analyzing the situation. Savage offers offbeat sources of information for an up-to-date report, including such international organizations as the World Bank in Washington, which has people traveling abroad constantly.

* How safe is the airport where you will be landing? You can check with the Department of Transportation’s toll-free Travel Advisory number, (800) 221-0673. A recorded message reports any known, credible and current threat to airlines or other public transportation systems in the United States or abroad. Earlier this month, the message warned travelers that U.S. officials considered the international airport in Lagos, Nigeria, as unsafe because effective security measures were not being maintained. I wasn’t aware of the number until I read his book.

* Are there particular problems to be avoided? These could range from a rash of street holdups to a nationwide shutdown because of a visit from the Pope. One quick source of information is the U.S. State Department’s Citizens Emergency Center, (202) 647- 5225. It provides recorded reports on situations that might affect the security of American travelers in every country.

* Is your hotel next to a likely terrorist target? In some places, a government office building might be subject to attack, and you could become an innocent victim. As Savage notes, there’s no clear-cut method of choosing the safest hotel, but it is a matter to be given some thought. “If you want to stay at a large, first-class hotel where American and other foreign senior executives are known to congregate,” he writes, “consider that such a hotel might be a terrorist target.” On the other hand, protective security probably will be much tighter than in other hotels.

Travelers who become victims of street crime usually “have done something to show their vulnerability to their assailant,” says Savage, such as dressing conspicuously as a foreign tourist, or “they have loaded themselves down with purchases in bulky bags.”

Among his dos and don’ts when walking in public places:

* Don’t wear jewelry, even a wedding ring. If you carry a watch, put it out of sight in a pocket. Even fake jewelry, if it looks expensive, will attract unwanted attention. If jewelry is required for a formal event, hide it under a coat until you have arrived.

* Don’t walk aimlessly or alone in crowded public places. “A brisk pace,” he says, “implies a set destination,” and companions usually will intimidate a chance assailant. Savage keeps his head up, alert to anyone passing near. I’m convinced I thwarted a potential pickpocket in a European railway station a couple of years ago using this very valid tactic.

* Avoid street vendors and crowds. As a common technique, an unscrupulous street vendor can distract you while an accomplice picks your pocket or slits a purse or bag. Street children, asking for a handout, may also be a ruse for pickpockets.

* Don’t load yourself down with bags of purchases. “This makes you easy prey, because you will be walking slowly and will have your hands full.” If you have shopped till you’ve dropped, take a cab back to your hotel.

* Know where you are going when you leave your hotel. Carry a street map (but consult it in a shop or other inconspicuous place). Ask directions from the hotel desk.

* Keep money, passport and other valuables concealed. If you must carry these items out of the hotel, hide them in a pouch beneath your clothing. For years, I’ve carried a slender neck pouch that hangs unobtrusively beneath my shirt.

The “Safe Travel Book” is written as a step-by-step guide to planning a safe and secure trip from the moment you step from your house to the day you return home. Among Savage’s many other recommendations:

* Consider acquiring a smoke hood. Savage advocates carrying an emergency escape smoke hood, which can be donned in case of an airplane, hotel room or building fire, and he describes these devices and their benefits and drawbacks. One smoke hood weighs just five ounces, can easily be kept in a briefcase and costs about $50. In a plane fire, he says, it provides immediate protection “from the most potent toxins which would knock you out,” giving you a chance to escape. But the hood does not filter carbon monoxide, which ultimately causes most fire deaths, so you must move quickly.

* Work with a travel agency with a 24-hour phone link. When you are abroad, it is handy to have someone you can reach during off hours if you need to make changes in your flight times or itinerary.

* Think seriously about purchasing a medical assistance insurance policy, several of which are detailed in the book. Look for an insurer that takes immediate action, at its expense, if you are in need of emergency assistance. This should include evacuation to a qualified hospital that can treat your illness or injury. Emergency assistance firms provide safe blood for transfusions if you are in a country where the blood supply is not reliably tested.

* Carry a pocket dictionary or foreign phrase book. And learn the words for “help,” “fire,” “police” and “doctor.” You never know when you might need them.