Catherine Hiles
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10 of the World’s Most Dangerous Roads

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Some roads are more dangerous than others. That might seem like a given, but when all you drive are well-paved roads with multiple lanes and speed limits to allow for safer passage, it can be difficult to imagine just how deadly certain roads can be. Read on to discover the 10 most dangerous roads in the world — we’re sure you’ll have added some of them to your bucket list by the end!


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1. Dalton Highway, Alaska

Alaska's Dalton Highway covered with snow in the winter
Dalton Highway in the winter
Photo: Terry Feuerborn via CC

Alaska is known for its remote and desolate roads, but Dalton Highway is by far the most dangerous of them all. This road connects the Prudhoe Bay Oil Fields near the Arctic Ocean with the Elliott Highway just north of Fairbanks. This 414-mile road gets most of its traffic in the form of trucks carrying supplies to the oil fields, according to Alaska.org. Winter is peak traffic season, and the road gets so slippery than even experienced ice road truckers refuse to drive on it.

2. Federal Highway 1, Mexico

Distance sign along Mexico Federal Highway 1
Mexico Federal Highway 1
Photo: Elnogalense via CC

Running from the US/Mexico border at Tijuana, down the Baja California peninsula to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico’s Highway 1 spans 1,063 miles, and is peppered with blind corners, few road signs, and little to no guard rails. Drivers tend to speed down this two-lane road, meaning that you can easily encounter an irresponsible driver flying round a corner on your side of the road.

3. Patiopoulo-Perdikaki Road, Greece

An almost 18-mile-long mountain road in Greece, Patiopoulo-Perdikaki Road is dangerous for many reasons. The road has an elevation gain of 2,706 feet, has no road markings, no guard rails along very sheer drops, and very little grip due to its loose gravel. This area is also prone to heavy fog and mist, which makes conditions even more treacherous. On top of that, this is a busy road, and locals tend to drive it very fast.

4. Atlantic Road, Norway

Bridge along Atlantic Road, Norway
Atlantic Road, Norway
Photo: denisbin via CC

Norway’s Atlantic Road stretches 5.2 miles along the wild Atlantic coast, linking the island of Averøy with mainland Norway. The road features seven bridges, each one arching across the temperamental sea in anticipation of its high-reaching waves. This gives the road a rollercoaster feeling, making it a unique and memorable drive. It’s best to avoid this route during storms, though, as the force of huge waves can be hazardous for cars and bicycles.

5. Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand

Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand
Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand
Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ via CC/Public Domain

Skippers Canyon Road is located on New Zealand’s South Island, and was hand-carved by miners more than 140 years ago. It’s cut directly into a sheer cliff face, and the road is extremely narrow and features no guard rails. Despite its heart-stopping drops and lack of guard rails, there are surprisingly few accidents along Skippers Canyon Road, according to tour operator David Gatward-Ferguson. “I can’t even remember the last time there was a significant accident,” he told the New Zealand Herald. “Human nature means that when there is a perceived danger they will take more care and drive slowly, which is what happens at Skippers Canyon.”

6. Trans-Siberian Highway, Russia

Unpaved portion of the Trans-Siberian Highway in Russia
Trans-Siberian Highway, Russia
Photo: Mike1979 Russia via GFDL

Chances are you’ve heard of Russia’s Trans-Siberian Highway, even if you’re not sure exactly where it is. This highway system spans thousands of miles, linking Moscow to Yakutsk. In the depths of winter (which lasts 10 chilly months in Siberia), parts of the highway are rerouted along frozen lakes and rivers. Needless to say, breaking down along this road could be the last thing you do.


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7. Guoliang Tunnel, China

Aerial view of Guoliang Tunnel Road, China
Guoliang Tunnel Road, China
Photo: FANG Chen via CC

Back in the early 1970s, 13 men from an isolated region in China’s Taihang Mountains hand-carved a tunnel out of rock to create a roadway to connect their home to the rest of China. Prior to this, the only way for them to get out of their village was to climb a set of steep and narrow stairs carved into the side of the mountain. After five years of labor, the 0.75-mile Guoliang Tunnel was complete. Today, it’s a tourist attraction for travelers who want to see this feat of engineering — but the road is not for the faint of heart.

8. Vitim River Bridge, Siberia

The Vitim River Bridge in Siberia is an old train bridge that has been converted into a bridge for vehicles. It’s just six feet wide and has no sides or guard rails, so one slip of the wheel could plummet you over the side and into the ice-cold water. In the winter, the wooden planks that make up the bridge become slippery, making it even more dangerous. Despite the bridge being extremely hazardous (or perhaps because of it), it’s visited by thrill-seekers as part of the 2,687-mile Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) road.

9. North Yungas Road, Bolivia

View of North Yungas Road, Bolivia from a distance
North Yungas Road, Bolivia
Photo: AHLN via CC

Driving along Bolivia’s North Yungas Road is no joke. This road is the only link between La Paz and part of the Amazon rainforest, making it a necessity for many Bolivian drivers. In fact, it’s nicknamed “El Camino de la Muerte,” which translates as “The Road of Death,” and for good reason. The road itself is 12 feet wide and has drops ranging between 4,000 and 15,000 feet with no protective guardrails in many sections. In fact, the road sees an average of 200-300 people killed each year, according to Business Insider.

10. Karakoram Highway, Pakistan and China

Karakoram Highway, also known as China Pakistan Friendship Highway
Karakoram Highway
Photo: shaguftakarim via CC

Running a little over 800 miles long, the Karakoram Highway (also known as the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) was built in the late ’70s and opened to the public in 1985. At its highest, this road has an altitude of 15,748 feet and is one of the highest paved roads in the world. That section, called the Khunjerab Pass, closes between Jan. 1 and April 30 each year due to heavy snow. In the summer months, heavy monsoons can cause serious landslides which can block the road. Some parts of the road are so narrow that only one car can drive each way safely.

Have you been brave enough to drive any of these roads? Which other roads would you add to the list?