I kind of feel safer in Asia, not because of the speeds, but because the way that traffic works. It is a system of avoidance, kind of like how a school of fish works. You are expected to avoid the people around you. If everyone avoids everyone else, then nobody gets into an accident. There is also very little road rage here. Showing signs of anger is considered culturally inappropriate.

In the US, you are literally a target. Road rage is a thing. Someone turning left or right on you happens all the time. In Vietnam, cars turn really slowly and usually in a predictable manner.

Now, the issue is that when things go wrong, they go really wrong. Vietnam has one of the highest rates of road deaths in the world [1] [2]. I think these numbers are actually low, because not all deaths even get reported. Also, not everyone dies... non-fatal accidents happen constantly here.

The other issue is that this is a relatively young country for people behind the wheel of a car. Cars have only been widely accessible here for the last ~10 years and it is growing. The level of skill for drivers is extremely low, the education testing is a joke. There is constantly videos of people driving their car/bus/truck through a group of people, house or off the road because they mistake the gas for the brake. Or even worse... side effect accidents... [3]

[1] https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/traffic-accidents-kill-ove...

[2] https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/20180220/179-killed-in-t...

[3] https://www.facebook.com/vieclamtaixelaixe/videos/1972940609...

You just can’t avoid stupid. Here’s a “fun” compilation of accidents in Chiang Mai. Another nomad hub. Most of these at least one person had no control of the outcome:

https://youtu.be/HR9coYSkOPE