New research has named Malaysia in a list of countries where you are most likely to die on the road
The study, conducted by experts at the car subscription service FINN, analyzed the number of fatalities due to car accidents in each country and ranked the most dangerous countries by deaths per 100,000 people.
The top 10 deadliest roads in the world:
Rank |
Country |
Road deaths per 100,000 |
1 |
Saudi Arabia |
35.94 |
2 |
Thailand |
32.21 |
3 |
Malaysia |
22.48 |
4 |
Kuwait |
15.43 |
5 |
Colombia |
15.42 |
6 |
Chile |
14.91 |
7 |
Argentina |
14.06 |
8 |
Panama |
13.92 |
9 |
Mexico |
14.06 |
10 |
Kazakhstan |
13.92 |
Saudi Arabia has the highest number of road deaths with 35.94 per 100,000 people, which is 27 more than the average of 8.57. Saudi Arabia has large deposits of crude oil, meaning petrol prices are very cheap. As a result, more people can afford to drive fast fuel-burning supercars which can be less safe than common cars due to factors such as poor visibility.
Thailand has the second deadliest roads in the world, with 32 deaths per 100,000 people. Many Thai citizens ride motorcycles rather than drive cars, and it is common for many people to ride on a motorbike together. This, combined with a lack of helmets, can result in an increased likelihood of road deaths.
Malaysia has the third-highest number of road deaths per 100,000 people. Despite this ranking, there is a substantial difference between Malaysia and Thailand, as the country has almost ten fewer deaths per 100,000 people.
Rank |
Country |
Road deaths per 100,000 |
1 |
Iceland |
2.05 |
2 |
Norway |
2.12 |
3 |
Switzerland |
2.25 |
4 |
Ireland |
3.13 |
5 |
Sweden |
3.14 |
6 |
United Kingdom |
3.21 |
7 |
Japan |
3.60 |
8 |
Denmark |
3.70 |
9 |
Germany |
3.78 |
10 |
Finland |
3.78 |
Iceland has the fewest road deaths, with just 2 per 100,000 people. Despite poor weather conditions and many unpaved roads, Icelandic drivers are some of the least likely in the world to face fatalities on the road. Iceland is a hub for tourism, consequently, many popular roads around the golden circle and Reykjavik are tarmacked and well-maintained compared to the sparsely populated centre of the country which is connected by a network of gravel roads.
Norway has similar road issues to Iceland, mainly based on adverse winter weather conditions. Despite this, Norway’s roads also have some of the lowest number of reported deaths, as there are only 2.12 road deaths per 100,000 people. Scandinavian driving lessons and tests are notoriously thorough, and speeding fines are high, resulting in safer roads.
Switzerland has the third-fewest road deaths, at 2.25 per 100,000 people. Swiss driving laws are strictly enforced, and there is little tolerance for speeding and reckless driving. This no-nonsense attitude may have contributed to the low death rate. As a country situated in and around the Alps, Swiss roads have a reputation for spectacular views from winding mountain passes.
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Serbia has the lowest road quality score, with a score of just 3.5/7
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The motorway speed limit in Germany is a speedy 447kph
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Argentina was named the least safe country to drive in with a road safety score of 1.65/10.