Ten Years Later: Are you safer today than September 11, 2001?

With the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001 terror attacks approaching, Americans who are traveling this weekend are concerned about the potential threat levels. In an interview with ABC4 News in Charleston, S.C., aviation attorney Mary Schiavo and former Inspector General for the Department of Transportation said travelers can expect heightened security measures this weekend though they may not notice them. Schiavo said that, after the May death of Osama bin Laden, government officials learned of attacks in the early stages of development set for September 11th, 2011, meaning airports will likely have more bomb detection measures in place such as dogs and testing.

Schiavo also said that Americans traveling today are "generally safer" that they were ten years ago partly because of three changes: more cameras being used for surveillance, more bomb detection equipment being employed and better defined behavioral profiling and training. She told ABC News the most significant contributor to the safety of the flying public is the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and its assumption of security responsibilities from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

View the ABC News story on aviation security changes since 2001.

Read about Motley Rice's aviation lawyers and how they work to protect passenger rights and fight on behalf of victims' family members and injured crash survivors.