Types of Danger
7. Bandits, wild animals. According to the Gemara and the nusach of the tefilah, Tefilas Haderech was instituted for dangers that can occur during travel, e.g., bandits, wild animals, enemies, ambushes, etc. Some wonder whether one can say this tefilah with Hashem’s Name today, when most intercity roads are well-paved, have virtually no wild animals or bandits, and are generally protected and safe (קצוה"ש סי' ס"ז סק"). [See Issue 102, par. 54, where we pointed out that unfortunately, even today, we require protection from some people who drive like wild animals (כ"ק מרן גאב"ד ירושלים). We also told the story about a person who asked Rav Matisyahu Salomon שליט"א why we mention wild animals in Tefilas Haderech nowadays, whereupon a bee entered the car and pestered the driver to the point of a near disaster.]
8. Traffic accidents. Still, most poskim hold that even today one can and should say the tefilah and brachah. The tefilah mentions “לסטים וחיות רעות” because those were common in those days, but we also daven that Hashem “lead us in peace...” and save us “from all types of misfortunes that break forth and come to the world.” This includes all types of dangers, e.g., traffic accidents, which are common today ל"ע. Thus, we do not deviate from the text of the tefilah established by Chazal; we say the tefilah the way it was always said (ארחות רבינו ח"א עמ' ס").
9. Train, plane. For this reason, the minhag is to also say Tefilas Haderech when traveling between cities by train or plane. Even though there are no wild animals or bandits, sometimes there are accidents, ה' ירחם (שו"ת שואל ומשיב קמא ח"ג סי' ק"ג, תהלה לדוד השמטות סי' ק"י, נימוקי או"ח, תשובות והנהגות ח"א סי' קצ"ט בשם החזו"א).
