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10Best Scary Places to Drive
North Yungas Road, Bolivia
Considered the world's most dangerous road, the North Yungas Road in Bolivia is a two-lane, 12-foot-wide stretch sandwiched between a solid rock cliff and a 2,000-foot drop off. Much of the road remains unpaved and if you think you'll find guardrails to protect you, think again! Add to that heavy fog and rain making a slippery, muddy mess of things, and it's easy to see why the "Bolivian Death Road" claims hundreds of lives each year.
James Dalton Highway, Alaska
You might recognize Alaska's James Dalton Highway from the History Channel hit show Ice Road Truckers. Built in the 1970s to help ferry supplies along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the 414-mile gravel road becomes downright treacherous in winter, when ice coats the road, whiteout storms limit visibility and getting cell phone reception (you know, in case something bad happens) would be a miracle.
Trollstigen, Norway
Trollstigen in Norway translates to "Troll's path," but it's not mythical monsters you need to worry about when driving this stretch of road. It's the curves. Eleven hairpin turns, some at up to a 9 percent gradient, make this one-lane road a real thriller, and if you can brave it, the views are spectacular.
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Stelvio Pass Road, Italy
What do you get when you combine high elevation, 14 percent gradients and 60 hairpin turns within 15 miles? You get Italy's Stelvio Pass Road, the second highest paved road in the Alps. Those who make it through the pass can relax and take a deep breath at Selvio National Park, Italy's largest.
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Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand
Brave drivers on New Zealand's South Island can hop behind the wheel and give Skippers Canyon Road a go. The very narrow gravel road twists and turns for 16.5 miles, sometimes along 100-foot drop offs and very rarely with enough room to pass should you encounter another car along the road. If you're driving a rental, you might want to skip this one, as most rental companies won't insure their vehicles on this road.
Highway 1, California
While California's Highway 1 isn't particularly dangerous, it's certainly not for those with a fear of heights, as the highway hugs the cliffs with only a guardrail between your car and steep drop offs into the ocean. One of it's most frightening points comes as the highway crosses the Bixby Bridge, 280 feet above the Bixby Creek Gorge.
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Los Caracoles Pass, Chile
Passing through the Andes Mountains between Chile and Argentina, Los Caracoles Pass features a series of hairpin switchbacks without any guardrails for protection. Its remote location, high altitude (over 10,000 feet) and abundance of semi-trailer trucks that ply the road make driving it even more daunting.
The Autobahn, Germany
For some drivers, the Autobahn in Germany represents a bucket-list driving experience. For others, the prospect of sharing the road with cars traveling at speeds of upwards of 120 miles-per-hour sounds more like a nightmare than a dream. If you find yourself on this speedy highway, be sure to double check your mirrors before changing lanes.
A537, England
Driving through the English countryside might not sound that scary, but the A537 between Buxton and Macclesfield, also known as the Cat and Fiddle Road, includes sharp, blind turns and heavy winds. These dicey driving conditions have led to a slew of fatalities on the road, with most involving motorcyclists.
Photo courtesy of Christopher Furlong/iStock
Col de Turini, France
The high-mountain Col de Turini pass in France includes 34 hairpin turns, many of them at steep gradients. It's most famous as a leg of the Monte Carlo Rally and also occasionally features in the Tour de France, and you can bet those cyclists (and their thighs) have a healthy fear of this windy road.
Photo courtesy of TobiasSagmeisterPhotography/iStock