The most dangerous roads in the world 

Drivers should avoid these deadly routes at all costs

Drivers across the world are being warned about the most dangerous roads on the planet and have been urged to avoid them.

Car rental comparison website at StressFreeCarRental.com have researched ten treacherous roads around the world, where a single mistake could cost drivers their lives. 

From the infamous ‘Route of Death’ in Bolivia to the treacherous Fairy Meadows in Pakistan, these hazardous roads have seen countless accidents and fatalities.

Motorists might be surprised to see some UK roads making the top 10, such as Snake Pass in the Peak District and Bealach-na-ba road in Scotland.

But these British roads are notorious for fatal accidents, narrow passes along steep gradients. 

Twisty hairpin bends,high elevation, fatal drops, and a lack of guardrails and barriers are just some characteristics along these deadly roads.

A spokesperson for StressFreeCarRental.com said: “Drivers are urged to proceed with extreme caution while attempting to tackle any of the most dangerous roads in the world.

“Whether someone is an exceptionally experienced driver or overconfident, is it not worth taking any chances.  

“Motorists should always drive with caution and follow extra safety measures such as slowing down and being extra observant when navigating these roads. But really you should avoid these dangerous roads altogether.

“One wrong move on these roads will end in almost certain death for drivers.”

Here are StressFreeCarRental.com’s top 10 deadliest roads:

1. Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand

This 16.5-mile route situated in the southwest of New Zealand was hand carved by miners in 1890, and many stretches still remain unaltered today. It is a winding, narrow road with twisty hairpin turns, high elevation, and steep grades. 

2. El Caracol, Chile and Argentina

This road connecting Argentina and Chile, is located in the Andean mountains at an elevation of over 3900 metres. It has multiple tight bends, particularly on the Chilean side, and it is especially dangerous due to the heavy lorries that regularly cross.

3.  North Yungas Road, Bolivia

Known locally as the “route of death,” this single lane road spans 50 miles with vertical drops of up to 3000 ft into the Amazon jungle below. This road is home to a staggering 200 hairpin twists.

4. Taroko Gorge Road, Taiwan

This winding road snakes through the mountains. Despite its frightening reputation, it remains popular due to the breath-taking beauty of its surroundings. However, parts of the route are often impassable due to severe rainfall and typhoons triggering land and rock slides.

5. Fairy Meadows Road, Pakistan

Spanning 10 miles, this unpaved road connecting Karakoram Highway to Tato village is extremely dangerous. As it’s a unstable gravel road with a hazardous high altitude and tight turns, there is nothing to prevent a vehicle from falling with a multi-thousand-metre drop to the valley below.

6. Zojila Pass, India

Located 11,500ft above sea level, this terrifying mountain pass in India has no protective barriers and is notorious for landslides. The road is extremely narrow, and in many places is just one way – making it one of the most dangerous passing places in the world. Vicious winds and heavy snowfall means there has been many rescue missions to help people trapped there.

7. Snake Pass, England

The Snake Pass in the Peak District is a hotspot for fatal accidents and is a notoriously hazardous road with blind summits and difficult bends. The pass is usually forced to shut on average for 70 days of the year due to dangeorus conditions caused by heavy snow and landslides.

8. Route 1, America 

The US Route 1 along the East Coast of America is certainly not for the faint-hearted as a part of the path is one of the longest overwater roads in the world and has seen many fatalities over the years. The miles of the bridge over deep waters mean many drivers feel scared and daunted as they pass over. 

9. Bealach-na-ba road, Scotland

Located in the Applecross peninsula in the Scottish, Highlands, the isolated so-called road, also known as the ‘devils elbow’ boasts the steepest ascent of any road in the UK at 2,054 feet. This narrow and mountainous pass has a fearsome reputation due to its terrifying sharp hairpin terrifying twists and turns and steep gradients approaching 17%.

10. Sani Pass, South Africa 

Sani Pass is a high mountain road which stands at an elevation of 9,400ft, and is littered with the remains of the vehicles that failed to make the ascent. The notoriously dangerous road requires the use of a 4×4 vehicle, due to its water crossings, waterfalls, hairpin bends, and switchbacks with steep angles of up to 180˚.