Most Dangerous Roads in the World

Several remote areas around the world suffer from poor infrastructure either because of lack of sufficient funds to bankroll big-ticket projects or lack of technical capacity to construct quality roads. Though some of these roads are not inherently poor in quality, their conditions often tend to deteriorate through time due to inclement weather. While these roads are used to convey people and goods from one point to another, their deficient conditions should never be ignored. Dangerous roads put lives in jeopardy as they can lead to accidents and death. True enough, high death rates are recorded in areas where there is poor infrastructure, and where repairs and rehabilitations are taken too lightly. Here is a list of the ten most dangerous roads in the world:
 

10. Fairy Meadows Road in Pakistan

Fairy Meadows in Pakistan is based in Nanga Parbat and features a typical mountainside dirt trail. This is considered as one of the most dangerous roads in the world because it is narrow, steep, and unpaved. It also does not have any guard rail to prevent cars from rolling down the mountain. People who have journeyed here say that the last section of Fairy Meadows can only be crossed by walking on foot or riding a bicycle because it is too dangerous for cars. The gravel road has not undergone any repair since it was built by the ethnic villagers of the Nanga Parbat Mountain hundreds of years ago which makes it one of the dangerous roads on this list.

9. Zoji La Pass in India

Located in India, Zoji La Pass provides a central route to the remote and mountainous communities of the Himalayas. This road is extremely narrow that is dubbed as a dangerous road in India. It is dubbed as one of the most dangerous passes in the world not just because of its inherent condition but because of the vicious winds and heavy snowfall that often affect the region. It is situated at a height of 3,528 meters and is among the reasons why only a few people are able to successfully get to the Himalayan Mountain Range.

8. Stelvio Pass in Italy

Known as the highest road pass in Europe, Stelvio Pass is situated in the Italian Alps and is approximately 9,045 high. One of the most popular features of this road is its zigzag path that has a total of 60 hairpin turns, of which 48 are in the northwest. Several accidents have already taken place in this high-altitude road, especially among people who underrate the difficulty involved in traversing its zigzag path. In fact, even the greatest driver in the world once lost the competition because he had a trouble passing through Stelvio. You don’t need to wonder why it’s one of the dangerous roads of the world.

7. Sichuan-Tibet Highway in China

Sichuan-Tibet Highway is a 1,500 miles-long road that lies between Chengdu and Tibet. This is one of the most dangerous roads in the world because rock avalanches and landslides often occur here. This road traverses over 14 high-altitude mountains and about a hundred famous rivers, including Dadu River, Lantsang River, Nujiang River and Jinsha River. Aside from the fact that it has numerous topographically dangerous sections, climate changes from one point of this road to another can make a traveler feel intoxicated. As a proof, the number of car accidents that have occurred in this road has doubled in the past two decades.

6. Trollstigen in Norway

Located in Rauma, Norway, Trollstigen is a steep road characterized by its sharp turns and narrowness. This road has an incline of nine per cent and has a minimum of eleven hairpins. It stands about a kilometer above sea level and its width changes from one point to another, so it is not safe for large vehicles such as buses and trucks. Trollstigen is so dangerous that even the Norwegian government bars vehicles over 39 feet in length to pass through it. It is also inundated by heavy snow during winter so avalanche is very common.

5. Siberian Road to Yakutsk in Russia

Siberian Road is the only road where the coldest temperature has ever been recorded outside Antarctica. This is the reason why this dangerous road is especially unsafe during winter, when heavy snow leads to very little visibility for anyone who is driving. This road becomes as freezing cold as -45 Fahrenheit during the winter season so it becomes a very dangerous route to pass through. Unfortunately, Siberian is the only road that can lead to the city of Yakutsk in Russia so it is impossible for Siberian residents not to navigate it.

4. Taroko Gorge Road in Taiwan

Another mountain road made by ancient Taiwanese by carving out rocks, Taroko Gorge is one of the most dangerous roads in the world because it is very narrow and has numerous winding turns. Its starting point is at the Dongshi District in Taichung and it links up with the Suao-Hualien Highway. This road cuts through mountains and joins the East and West Coast. Exceedingly unstable and rugged, Taroko Gorge is closed during typhoons because it is highly prone to landslides.

3. Halsema Highway in the Philippines

Known as the highest highway in the Philippines, Halsema Highway stretches up to 150 miles and is characterized by narrow, unpaved roads, steep crags, and sheer drop-offs. This road is the only road that connects the provinces of Benguet and Baguio to the north of Luzon. It is very prone to falling rocks, mud slides and landslides especially during rainy weather. It is indeed of the dangerous roads of the world for small vehicles because bus drivers that pass through this narrow road travel at very high speeds. It also lacks safety rails that can prevent vehicles from falling off cliffs.

2. Guoliang Tunnel Road in China

This dangerous road is situated in the Taihang Mountains in Hunan Province, Guoliang Tunnel Road was manually built by the ancient local villagers of Guoliang. The tunnel road was first opened to traffic in 1977. It currently measures 16 feet high by 13 feet wide and has about 30 windows. This difficult path carved into the mountainside is the only road that leads to Guoliang Village. Surrounded by steep cliffs, it becomes more dangerous during the rainy season.

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