#20. Stelvio Pass Road
We will start our travels in Italy, an European country that limits with France, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia. Thanks to the Roman Empire, that were great engineers for their time, and who constructed several kilometers of roads, each city in this European country is pretty well interconnected. But there is a road among the border with Switzerland that is the most dangerous, albeit incredible, ones.
We are certainly talking about the Stelvian Pass, that boasts a length of approximately 224 kilometers on the border of one of the most important mountains in Europe, the Alps. For 2,09 kilometers the road turns itself into a series of twists and turns that could become the nightmare of even the most veteran driver. Extreme caution is always required while traveling from Italy to Switzerland via this road!
#19. Arica to Iquique Road
Located in South America, Chile runs through 4300 kilometers from south to north, and due to its extension, there are many different types of landscapes. From mountains and sea, to forests and deserts, Chile can boast of having a varied topography. Thanks to its extension, there are many routes and roads that connect its several cities, but one of the most important and most dangerous roads is the Arica to Iquique Road.
Many of those who have traversed this road believe that it could be featured in a Dakar Rally stage, but the most experienced drivers say that although it appears a quite straight road, it is completely treacherous. This road is surrounded by the Atacama Desert which turns it into a deadly trap, as it can hide the long pitfalls the road has. Many drivers have lost their lives by speeding in this road, one of the most dangerous in Chile.
#18. James Dalton Highway
Out of the 52 states that compose the United States, Alaska is by a long shot the less populated one, with approximately less than one million inhabitants. Due to its topography, Alaska is a very cold and harsh country, and many of the roads that cross it are faced with strong gusts of wind or are isolated from the rest of the world.
One of said roads is the James Dalton highway that runs approximately for 666 kilometers, and if that number scares you, wait until you hear about the highway. Many drivers have experienced heavy snowfalls, winds of approximately 30 km per hour that shot rocks into their windshields, and potholes. Were your car to broke down here, you would be kilometers from any town, and sometimes cellphone signal is not strong enough for S.O.S. calls.
#17. The Luxor-Al-Hurghada Road
As happened with the Roman Empire, which constructed several kilometers of roads to improve the commerce between the cities and other empires, the Egyptians were also very prolific at building things, just look at how incredible the pyramids are and how approximately 5,000 years later they still stay afoot. But we will focus on the Luxor-Al-Hurghada road, probably the most dangerous one in Egypt.
What makes this road so dangerous is not how it was constructed, but the fact that, as it links one of the most ancient cities in Egypt and the tourist hub of the country, many bandits and terrorists like to attack the passing cars. To fend off these attacks, many drivers opt to take the road at night and without any headlights on, so as to avoid being attacked. As such, many drivers found their death by car accidents.
#16. The Way To Fairy Meadows
One of the most beautiful parks of Pakistan is the Fairy Meadows National Park, which is located in the northern part of the country, and every tourist that has ventured there agree that its beauty has no comparison with any other park in the whole world. But before arriving to the park, you will have to take a high mountain road, known as The Way to Fairy Meadows.
As beautiful as the name of the road may sound, it is in fact very dangerous. On top of the fact that the high mountain road scares many drivers, the worst part of it is that the road has very poor maintenance, and even the slightest flaw in your driving skills could be fatal. The road is very narrow and it lacks guardrails. Fortunately, the road is only 10 miles long, so the nightmare could give way to the beautiful park very quickly.
#15. Sichuan-Tibet Highway
The People's Republic of China, also known as China, is the third biggest country in the world, and one the most populated ones too. According to the last census in 2017, China has a population of approximately 1,400 billion inhabitants, who are spread throughout all of the country. As a consequence, many roads had to be built to cover the enormous distances of the country.
The longest road in the country is the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, which zig-zags through the mountain ladder for approximately 2,140 kilometers. Not only is the highway a criss-cross of roads, but it is one of the main causes of deaths in the province of the Tibet. The harsh weather is a very important factor to be taken into account when you are about to take this road!
#14. Skippers Canyon Road
Many travelers around the world agree that one of the most beautiful countries to visit year-round is New Zealand, although it is not exempt of dangers. The landscapes are the perfect combination of sea, jungle and mountains, everything in a very small and remote island. Imagine that if the country is small, how small could be its roads?
The Skippers Canyon Road is considered one of the smallest roads in the world, which surrounds a very steep cliff that oversees a small river. In order to be able to drive in it, you require a special driver's license and permission issued by the New Zealand government. During 26 kilometers you will drive through one lane, and in the event you find yourself in front of an incoming car, you will have to backtrack to the beginning of the road.
#13. Halsema Highway
Another very small country in Southeast Asia is The Philippines, a small island of roughly 300,000 km2, but which is home to very beautiful provinces, as is the case with the Mountain Province. The province is divided into several small municipalities, and in the Sagada municipality you will find one of the most intricate and twisted roads you could imagine. For 149 kilometers, the road twists and turns around a mountain and afterwards through an incredible forest.
The real threat of the Halsema Highway does not lie in its extension or height, it lies all of the different climates it traverses. If you are at the peak of the mountain, your visibility may be reduced due to the amount of clouds there could be. If you are halfway through the road, you may see signs that warn you about possible landslides, and even though the road is properly maintained by the Philippine government, you should be extremely cautious while using the road!
#12. The Patiopoulo-Perdikaki Road
We will now travel to the crib of the ancient civilizations, the one that predated even the Roman and Egyptian Empires. We are talking about the beautiful country of Greece, that thanks to its weather is one of the main attractions for tourists that want to enjoy very relaxing holidays in its streets and its beaches. But for the residents, there is a road that is best avoided at all times.
Of course we are referring to the Patiopoulo-Perdikaki Road that extends itself for approximately 28 kilometers. The whole road was built on the side of a mountain, without any guardrails, and with very poor maintenance. Those drivers who had to travel this road did so because they had no other alternative, and they stated that its like travelling through hell.
#11. The Pasubio
After our brief trip to Greece, we are back to Italy for another incredible road built in the side of a mountain. This time it is the turn of the former Strada Delle 52 Gallerie, now known as The Pasubio. The road extends for approximately 6,500 kilometers and goes through 52 galleries or tunnels. Without any guardrail to protect drivers, the road looms over a high cliff that could be fatal.
Designed and constructed in World War I for the Italian troops to cross easily and without being seen, the approximate width of the road is 2,20 meters and cars are only allowed until one specific point. Beyond that point, only bikes and pedestrians are allowed to continue at their own risk, as each turns makes the road more and more dangerous. But, despite all of that, the road offers the most amazing views from the southern side of the mountain.
#10. Taroko Gorge Road
Located in front of the island of the People's Republic of China, Taiwan is a small and almost independent country from China, although a very complicated diplomatic issue is still pending to be solved. Despite all of this, the island presents beautiful landscapes, and visitors every year travel through its woods and mountains, and even bathe in the cold waters of its lakes.
The Taroko Gorge Road may be considered the most amazing located on the island, as it was designed and constructed through the middle of a mountain, in order to cut on unnecessary travel time. The road was very difficult to design, and as a consequence many of the turns are unexpected and the road only allows for a car to pass through. As with many other roads in the list, if you encounter a car coming in front of you, you will have to backtrack to the very beginning of the road.
#9. Guoliang Tunnel Road
Back again to the small island of China, but this time to its northern section, we will explore the incredible mountain range that is located there and, more specifically, the only road that goes to the small village of Guoliang, enclosed by the mountain range. We will refer this time to the Guoliang Tunnel Road that extends itself for 1,20 kilometers. Regarding its size, the tunnel is roughly 4x5 meters, so it allows for little traffic at all.
When expected to tackle this road, many drivers are advised to go in the company of a local guide experienced in this area to avoid any unnecessary risks. As it is the only way to arrive to the small village, the road is pretty well maintained, although lightning inside of the tunnels is scarce. Drivers should also be wary of going too fast, as it could cause accidents.
#8. The Himalayan Roads
It seems that mountains are great places to construct roads for travelers to save time while going from point A to point B, or to see a specific landmark. As everybody knows, the Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world and are also one of the main tourist attraction in Asia, and receives millions of tourists a year. Of course, the mountain range would not be such a visited place if it did not have a road to access it.
The Himalayan Road Network was specifically designed to get those tourists interested in climbing the mountain to the starting point. For that same reason, the road stretches in all its extension. Sadly, the road is poorly maintained and one of the most dangerous mountain roads in this list. Not only is the road unpaved, but it is also very slippery. Many cars and buses and buses can be seen in the side of the mountain, silent witnesses of the accidents that occur each year.
#7. Commonwealth Avenue
The Commonwealth Avenue, located in the city of Quezon in the Philippines could be the most wide road ever built, and the most absurd at that too. This avenue stretches for approximately 13 kilometers and the amount of lanes it has varies from 8 to 16 lanes. Drivers should take that information into account while driving, as many users like to speed here.
Despite being a very straight road, it is very dangerous, as the avenue narrows and widens at irregular intervals. In addition, the signs are very poor and traffic laws are hardly enforced. For that reason, many pedestrian, cyclists, drivers and bikers have lost their lives here. It does not matter if roads are narrow or wide, or if traffic laws exist or don't, each of us should be very careful when driving, specially in difficult roads such as this.
#6. North Yungas Road
Known in the whole world as "Camino de la Muerte (Death Road), the North Yungas Road is a road in the South American country of Bolivia that extends for approximately 80 km and was constructed on the side of the mountain. The road connects the capital city of Bolivia, La Paz and the Yungas region. It has been calculated that approximately one hundred persons die each year in this road.
Each of these deaths are the direct consequence of poor maintenance of the road, the lack of guardrails and the reduced width of the road, as its width is of only 3 meters. To avoid more deaths, the Bolivian government started the construction of an alternative route in 1986, which was finished in the year 2006. The most important aspect of the new route is that it has a two-way lane, allowing for cars to go and return safely.
#5. A726, Scotland
We are entering the top 5 of the most dangerous roads in the world, and it is the turn of the A726 Highway on Scotland. According to North Americans, Scottish people drive on the "wrong side of the road", and have the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car, but they are very conscious when it comes to driving and traffic laws. There is an exception, though, and it is the A726 Highway.
Despite the Scottish being careful drivers, the amount of accidents that occur each year on the A726 Highway is to be taken into consideration. For many kilometers the highway is completely straight, and many drivers test the speed of their cars here. As they are not used to reaching such high speeds while driving, many collisions occur here, and this highway is responsible for many deaths.
#4. Cotopaxi Volcano Road
South America is home to The Andes mountain range, and in all its extension there are several active and dormant volcanoes. The country of Ecuador hosts several volcanoes, but the Cotopaxi volcano is the most important one, and is located inside a National Park. While driving through the Pan-American Highway, you will reach a fork in the road, where you can take the dangerous road that will take you around the volcano, the Cotopaxi Volcano Road.
The road runs for 40 km next to the volcano and its a very dangerous road. Many experienced drivers have had a very difficult time due to all the problems in the road: the gravel is loose and the tires of the cars do not adhere to the road, the road has several potholes that make driving in a straight line very difficult and there are several streams that cross the road. If the road were to flood, you would be stuck in it.
#3. The Barton Highway
One of the hottest countries in the world is, without a doubt, Australia, located in a small island in Oceania, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. The A25 highway, also known as The Barton Highway, is a road that stretches for 56 kilometers from the capital of Australia, Canberra, to the city of Yass. The road is not dangerous in its own, but it becomes extremely dangerous thanks to drivers.
As it is one of the most used roads by drivers, it is usually congested and drivers try to avoid most traffic jams by zig-zagging through the lanes and using the sides of the highway. These maneuvers, aside from being dangerous, put every other driver in risk, and every year more than 500 accidents are registered here. For that reason, the Australian government is intending to improve the road for the current year.
#2. Trans-Siberian Highway
The Trans-Siberian Highway is considered the second longest road in the world, as it connects the whole country from one end to the other. It extends for approximately 11,000 kilometers. It is a long and tiresome road, both for every driver who takes on the road and for the government to maintain. and so many sections of the road have no maintenance at all, which makes the road a very difficult one to traverse.
Many sections of the immense highway lack asphalt and are made of compressed earth, and as you can imagine, if the weather conditions are harsh, the road would become impossible to use. Other sections of the road, such as the western one, are well kept and traveling through it is like a dream. Sadly, many tourists and locals have lost their lives in the treacherous conditions of the road.
#1. Route 431
We finally arrived to the most dangerous road in the world, located in the United States, in the State of Alabama. To the south of Alama is the State of Tennessee, and both States share the so-called Highway to Hell, although its official name is simply Route 431. It stretches for 568 kilometers. Despite being a very straight road, it has some sudden turns and, if the weather conditions are bad, almost zero visibility.
As if those factors were not enough, drivers like to speed on this road, putting the life of every other driver in danger. In an attempt to discourage this behavior, the Alabama and Tennessee government decided to place markers in all of the sections of the road that had suffered a car accident, be fatal or not. For the time being, the results are not what they expected.