An article brought to you by Chris Rowlands of moneysupermarket.com where finding a car insurance quote is a great deal easier:
There are many dangerous roads in the world but some have more of a reputation than others when it comes to the danger stakes. Many bring terror to the eyes of those who have driven on them, with locals according such names as "Devils Backbone" and "Road of Death".
Some adventure tourists travel the world in search of thrills on roads with peril at every turn. Whether they intend to experience the roads with a mountain bike or in a 4 wheel drive (recommended for many of the below roads), one things remains the same; adrenaline fuelled twists and turns await them at ever corner with danger aplenty.
Here's my top 10 in descending danger level:
1: Road of Death (North Jungas road); the most dangerous road in the world (and definitely deserving of the title). A high altitude, 61km narrow stretch of road with no guard rails and 2000ft waiting to swallow up the unwitting traveller (responsible for between 2-300 deaths per year before a new alternative road was built)
2: Sichuan Highway; a highly elevated 2412km stretch of road with rock and landslides a frequent occurrence. The route crosses many well know and spectacular rivers with constant scenic views to be had. Altogether a beautiful road but certainly a deadly one - claiming the lives of between 3.9-7% per 100 thousand of China's population between the years of 1985 and 2005.
3: Highway from Hell (Lena Highway); this road leading to one of the coldest cities on the planet, in one of the coldest areas Russia has to offer, is certainly hazardous in winter but this is nothing compared to conditions in Summer. Flooding causes a literal mud bath which renders traversing it practically impossible. Traffic jams numbering into the thousands are not unheard of and crime is rife, with kidnapping and robbery a possibility for the unwary traveller.
4: Guoliang Tunnel Road; this magnificent road hewn from the rock was responsible for the deaths of many of the Taihing Mountain Tribe who built it several decades ago. Beautifully scenic and a sight to behold, but very unforgiving of an incautious driver - sheer drops and stone walls make paying attention crucial, despite the exceptional backdrop.
5: James Dalton Highway; a road many of you may know from the popular "Ice Road Truckers" TV series but, due to its location, an extremely hazardous one for the unprepared traveller. The road is the dictionary definition of remote with hazards including flying rocks flung up by passing gargantuan trucks, pot holes that will destroy worn out suspension and an extremely slippery surface to boot. Not a drive for the faint hearted or those who haven't packed up their vehicle with supplies and extra fuel.
6: Halsema Highway; a narrow road with very few guardrails to stop you slipping down the steep cliff faces with drops of up to 1000ft. Mudslides and rock falls are common here and the inexperience driver often overturns their vehicle - virtually impassable in the wet season and definitely a good contender for the world's most dangerous roads title.
7: Van Zyl's Pass; not so much a road as a perilous dirt track made by the frequent passing of vehicles over the terrain. Extremely steep with rocks and boulders strewn across your path waiting to cause serious harm to the untrained driver. Ravines await your mistakes and the surrounding badlands make it a difficult and very arduous journey. If you can arrange a good guide the view over the Marienfluss Valley (carved by a glacier in the last ice-age) is certainly well worth it.
8: Karakoram Highway; referred to on occasion as the "Ninth Wonder of the World", this 1300km long road was a collaboration between China and Pakistan and is the highest paved road in the world. 892 workers in total died during its construction, the majority of the fatalities on the Pakistan side. Still a perilous stretch of road due to landslides - the last major one caused the closure of a large stretch when flood water created a 100 metre deep, 22km long lake.
9: Leh-Manali Highway; a 478km stretch of road which loops between some of the highest mountain passes in the civilised world (between 2-3 miles above sea level). Peril lurks at every corner with severe snowstorms and landslides common – coupled with little to no guard rails, not one to be attempted by an unskilled driver without a 4 wheel drive.
10: Devils Backbone (Mex-40); a well signed road but with many hazards including narrow tight curves and sheer drops without guardrails to protect an unlucky driver. Trucks travelling along the road often command the whole road to turn around sharp bends which can be a little hair-raising for traffic coming the other way - often forcing the opposing vehicle to within a metre from the edge.
