We are living in tense times, with terror threats, a looming war and a struggling economy. You may be worrying about the wrong things and ignoring the most dangerous threats out there.

David Ropeik is the head of Risk Communication at Harvard University. He says Americans are too afraid of things that will probably never happen and not afraid enough of real threats like the sun, smoking, drinking and heart disease.

Cindy and Dan Hardy are afraid their children will be kidnapped and never returned. The odds of that happening are less than one in a million.

What's really safe and what's really dangerous in the world around us? Ropeik says the more educated and informed we are, the more we can make wise and safer decisions for ourselves.

What should your biggest fear be this year? Ropeik says the most likely risk will be food poisoning, which will effect one in four Americans. And think of this, the number of people killed in September 11th attacks is equal to the number of people killed on U.S. roads every month. Buckle up and drive safely, that's the best precaution you can take.