When it comes to the worlds most dangerous roads what is it that makes them so dangerous? It’s not just about how dangerous they look or how perilous they are to drive it has to be down to the number of lives lost so far while traveling and between all these roads 14,000 lives (at least) have been lost so far and probably many more to come as you can still travel along all of them. But you might want to drive very carefully and not end up a statistic like all those that have traveled it before you…
Passage Du Gois, France – 300+ Lives Lost
This natural causeway between Beauvoir-sur-Mer and the island of Noirmoutier is normally pretty safe, but for those who don’t understand about the ever-changing tides you can easily get swept off it and out to sea.
Cahills Crossing, Australia – 40+ Lives Lost
You might need a special permit to enter this land, but that hasn’t stopped 40+ people from dying whine trying to traverse it. It’s not just your car being swept off the road that you have to contend with here as the water is also infested with crocodiles who hang around looking for a quick bite.
Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road, China – 400+ Lives Lost
With a very impressive 99 turns, this road is enough to make anyone giddy while driving up or down it. Hence the reason so many people lose their lives on their road as you need to have quick reactions to often avoid the trucks and busses that use it on a daily basis.
Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway – 30+ Lives Lost
This road only opened in 1989, but has already taken the lives of at least 30 people. The road runs through an archipelago, teetering on the edge of the sea offering some truly beautiful views, but on foggy nights, or at high tides it can be a toad to death for many who are inexperienced. in the roads dips and curves.
Dalton Highway, Alaska – 70+ Lives Lost
Not only is this a dangerous road, but it is often called the loneliest road on earth. The dangers with this road are not so much the terrain, more the weather because this road is 414 miles (666km) long meaning those who break down along its path might not survive long enough to be rescued.
Svalvogar Road), Iceland – 160+ Lives Lost
This road is dangerous in a number of ways from steep dips into the waterline making you feel disorientated, to rockslides, avalanches and even strong winds all of which have helped this road achieve a rather fearsome reputation.
Highway 80, Iraq – 3,100+ Lives Lost
There isn’t any flooding or any kind of weather anomaly at all here, only it has cost the lives of over 3,100 people. It was once called the “Highway of Death” in the first Gulf War after the US army destroyed over 2,700 vehicles over the course of just a few years. Some even think this roads death toll could be as high as 10,000+.
Zoji La, India – 2000+ Lives Lost
This high mountain pass is one that has cost a lot of lives with several busloads of people going over the edge. The problem is parts of it are so thin someone has to go on the outside of the road that is unprotected by barriers meaning even a small slip is pretty much instant death.
Manang Road, Nepal – Lives lost 2700+
It is estimated that as many as 2700 people have lost their lives to this road with many coaches and busses going over the edge dropping hundreds of meters. In 2002 there was heavy floods in the area and indeed going down and across the road. That once single years almost 1000 people died while simply trying to get back home or back into the nearby city.
North Yungas Road, Bolivia – 5,000+ Lives Lost
Since the road opened in the 1930’s countless people have lost their lives on the perilous road with the number through to be at least double what the known count is. When you get daily mountain fog, landslides and even waterfalls forming all over the road, you can easily see why, for so many people this was sadly the last road they ever traveled on.
Have you driven along any of these roads? Would you like to? If you would do let us know in the comments below.