The 10 Most Dangerous Roads In The World

The World Health Organization has dubbed the remaining years up until 2021 as the “decade of action for road safety”. An estimated 1.3 million people lose their lives in auto accidents each year. Most of the onus for road safety is typically on the driver. However, many times hazardous roadways are a contributing factor. Some roads are simply a challenge to maneuver because they may feature sharp hairpin turns, warzones on the along the roadside or drastic mountain declines. Some of the most dangerous roads in the world are listed below.

Afghanistan:

CNN rates the road from Kabul to Jalalabad in Afghanistan as the most dangerous in the world with a rating of 9.5 out of 10. This highway stretches through Taliban territory. Surprisingly enough the radical group is not the most fatal threat on this roadway. The lanes for the road are narrow and winding for 600 meters up into the Kabul gorge. The reckless abandon local drivers’ use as they attempt to pass slower heavy-duty trucks is the leading cause of the deaths that occur at a daily rate on this roadway.

Bolivia:

The Inter-American Development Bank claims that the road between La Paz and Coroico as the most dangerous in the world. This road declines 3.5 kilometers over a stretch of 65 kilometers. This dangerous road has become a favorite amongst avid cyclists. The combination of the cyclists, steep roads, busses and local trucks accumulates an average of 200 to 300 deaths on this road every year.

Iraq:

Many call Highway 80, stretching from Basra to Kuwait City in Iraq, the “Highway of Death” because of its history in the Gulf War where 2,700 vehicles were destroyed by a bomb from a U.S aircraft. People estimate that the death toll ranged anywhere from 300 up to 10,000.

Pakistan:

The Khunjerab Pass connects Pakistan and China at an altitude of nearly 4,700 meters. This unpaved road is susceptible to dangers like floods and landslides. More than 800 Pakistan workers and 80 Chinese workers have died while performing construction on this road.

India:

The dusty mountain road connecting Ladakh and Kashmir is known as Zoji La. The road stretches for nine kilometers over the mountain at an altitude exceeding 3,500 meters. The road has no barrier on one side and the mountain’s hard jagged surface for the other. This road can get cut off due to snowfall or landslides.

China:

Many people died during the 1970s creating the Guoliang Tunnel road in China’s Taihang Mountains. This tunnel road is 1.2 kilometers long, five meters high and four meters wide. Open precipices make this a road where drivers can afford little if any mistakes.

United Kingdom:

According to the Road Safety Foundation, the scenic route through the Peak District in England is the most dangerous road in the UK. There were over 30 deaths on this road between 2006 and 2008.

Croatia: 

Traffic and aggressive driving make the Adriatic coastal roadways of Croatia some of the most dangerous in the world. There are over 11,600 automobile accidents in this country every year.

Chile:

The winding roads of the Los Caracoles Pass through the Andes Mountains leading to Andes, Chile are dangerous mainly because of the high altitude, sharp turns and the lack of a safety barrier.

Italy:

The roadways at the Stelvio Pass in Italy are certainly intimidating. The main danger factors at this pass in the Italian Alps are the array of 180 degree hairpin turns and the low-set safety barrier.

Author Bio:
Eric Farrior has worked as a personal injury attorney for the past 13 years.
Citations:

Auto accident information from seriousaccidents.com
Additional accident information from wikipedia.com