| Most cities in the world complain about | | | | almost blind. |
| potholes, crack's and damages in roads. But | | | | |
| compared to roads in rural areas and isolated | | | | Stories have been told of trucks stopping on |
| towns, these minor cracks and holes don't | | | | the road, to wait for the fogs or storms to |
| even come close the danger that some | | | | pass, only to have parked a little too close |
| travellers face. | | | | to the edge. As the rain falls, the road is |
| | | | washed away around them. |
| The only road that goes up the mountain to | | | | |
| Bolivia's main city, La Paz, has been | | | | It is estimated that every year 200 to 300 |
| recorded as the most dangerous road in the | | | | people die on this stretch of road, which is |
| world. It climbs up the mountainside, five | | | | less than 50 miles long. In one year, 25 |
| kilometres above sea level. Trucks, buses and | | | | vehicles plunged over the edge. That's one |
| taxis drivers risk their lives practically | | | | car, every two week, for the entire year. |
| every day they attempt to drive on this main | | | | |
| road. | | | | The Pasubio road in Northern Italy has also |
| | | | had it share of deaths. However they have |
| Paraguay prisoners of war built the road, | | | | since turned it into a hiking path. The |
| known as Death Road, in the 1930's. Many of | | | | ancient road is often used for mountain |
| the prisoners died during the building, but | | | | bikers, who love the spectacular views. There |
| the number of deaths is a fraction to the | | | | is a sheer drop off the cliff and the road |
| number of drivers who have died on the road | | | | often twists into tunnels and hairpin turns. |
| itself. | | | | A few small cars drive the road to reach the |
| | | | guesthouses at the top. |
| On the one side of the road, there is a steep | | | | |
| cliff that rises up and beyond, threatening | | | | The official highway to Yakutsk, in Russia, |
| to avalanche rocks and boulders at any given | | | | is the only road letting into the city. In |
| time. The other side of the road is the real | | | | dry season, this isn't a problem, but when |
| alarm, as it just drops away to over half a | | | | the rain sets in the entire road turns into |
| mile in depth. You can follow the drop to the | | | | pure sinking mud. Motorists have to wallow in |
| bottom and then up the other side of the | | | | mud or wait in the week-long 100 km car |
| canyon walls. | | | | line-up. Rumour has it, that one woman had to |
| | | | give birth while waiting in queue. |
| The road itself is just 3 meters wide, barely | | | | |
| enough space for two cars driving past each | | | | To give an indication of how damaging or |
| another, let alone two trucks. The entire | | | | severe the mud can get, there have been |
| track is composed of dirt and there has been | | | | reports of trucks and tractors have been |
| no attempt, despite it being the major route | | | | swallowed into it. Food products are being |
| for trucks and buses, to tar the road. If the | | | | airlifted to the city until officials can |
| drop alone and the limited space wasn't | | | | remedy the road situation. |
| enough, the road twists and turns into | | | | |
| hairpin bends. Skid marks and tyre tracks are | | | | On the up side, South African roads don't |
| often seen on the bends, some of which head | | | | even come close to this disaster rating. |
| straight out into the void. | | | | While some of the roads leading to farms are |
| | | | pure dirt, and we do get the occasional mud |
| In summer those are the only factors you have | | | | slip in far country sides, for the most part |
| to deal with. In winter, the rain season | | | | it's only the rare pothole and crack. Major |
| comes, creating waterfalls to drop from the | | | | highways are fully tarred and beautiful views |
| cliffs onto the road. The dirt road will | | | | are available, without the dangers of the |
| convert to mud and fog will whisper up from | | | | above roads. |
| the depths of the canyon, making drivers | | | | |