If you’ve ever watched an episode of ‘Ice Road Truckers’, you’ll have a fair idea of just how bad things can really get on the road. We’re talking driving conditions that are worse than a road that’s off the beaten track in the Eastern Cape or Joburg’s infamous William Nicol at 17:00 on a Friday. That kind of bad. And yes, we can boast a few terrible roads in South Africa for sure, but it seems that we’re not actually the worst… No, really. There are at least 5 countries who’ve earned a reputation for having treacherous roads.
Let’s take a little trip around the world, to see who is the proud owner the world’s worst roads.
Alaska: The Dalton Highway
Let’s start with the road that’s familiar to viewers of ‘Ice Road Truckers’… This road isn’t treacherous due to its height, but because of the remote gravel dirt road that stretches out from the town of Livengood to Prudhoe Bay. The condition of the road, the remote wilderness, and the cold make it super dangerous.
Pakistan: Fairy Meadows Way
Parts of Pakistan are rugged beyond belief, making for a truly beautiful trip if you possess an adventurous heart. However, Fairy Meadows Way, a road that is locally known as ‘Joot’, climbs to over 3,000m, making it a knee-shaking level of scary to drive through for good reason.
Nepal: Karnali Highway
What springs to mind when you think of Nepal? Do you think of the vistas and vastly different culture? Well, add to that roads which are carved across the seriously high peaks. We’re not being melodramatic and exaggerating things for effect, because actually, the police have banned night-time driving particularly on the Karnali Highway (north-west of Kathmandu).
Bolivia: Road Of Death
There’s a reason why this road has been featured in countless TV shows. At its highest point it reaches 4,650m and there are multiple yearly deaths attributed to this road. Although we should point out there have been some improvements in recent years, which is good news for the thrill-seekers who still want to head out to this world-famous travel experience.
India: Zoji Pass
This is a long road, stretching for around 450km between Ladakh and Kashmir. It’s also got some pretty nasty high points, topping out at 3,000m at its highest peaks. It’s not just the height that makes it challenging to drive over, because there are also landslides and winter snowfalls that often make it *almost* impassable. But people still try.
Pakistan and China: Karakoram Highway
Alright, so this road is stunningly beautiful in parts, which is hardly surprising given that it’s around 1,287km long… So there’d have to be some prettiness along the way. But it also reaches a remarkable 4,800m high and is flipping dangerous with the quality of road, other drivers, and winds and curves that you’ll experience along the way.
Makes you think twice about our own South African roads, doesn’t it? The thing is, though, accidents happen whether you’re on the Road of Death in Bolivia or taking the slipway onto your closest highway to get to work… That’s why you should invest in car insurance that’s affordable and will help you recover from a minor fender bender or something a little worse.
Get a cheap commitment-free car insurance quote today!
