I remember reading a story about an Englishman who came to the US and was surprised about how safe it seemed to him. Crime was low and people were more polite than what he was used to. This was in New York and New Jersey.

It could be that the low situational awareness exhibited by most people is due a relatively low contact with violence.

I’v noticed that when I carry my awareness steps up. But policemen tell me that complacency is a constant problem. “Routine” dulls the edge and if you aren’t careful it catches up with you on traffic stops or when you are off duty going to the convenience store.