3 Most Difficult – and 2 Easiest – Countries to Drive In, Rankings Show
Picture this: you’re standing at a rental car desk in a foreign country, keys in hand, wondering if you’re about to embark on a scenic drive or enter automotive hell. The reality is that driving experiences vary dramatically around the world, from silky smooth highways to chaotic urban nightmares where traffic laws seem more like gentle suggestions.
Recent comprehensive studies from multiple organizations have analyzed everything from road quality and congestion levels to traffic fatalities and driver behavior patterns. The results paint a fascinating picture of which countries will test your driving skills to the limit.
India: The Ultimate Driving Challenge
With an average ‘scare score’ of 7.15 out of a possible 10, India ranks as the country that motorists are most nervous to drive in, according to a 2024 survey of 2,000 international drivers. The sheer unpredictability of Indian roads makes even seasoned drivers break into a cold sweat. Indian roads and drivers can be extremely “unpredictable” whether you are on a highway, country road or busy street. Roads are always super congested, too.
What makes India particularly challenging isn’t just the traffic density, but the incredible mix of vehicles sharing the same space. India is known for “unpredictable traffic conditions, with everything from cars and motorcycles to rickshaws and even livestock sharing the roads”. The metropolitan areas tell their own story of congestion chaos. The metro areas of three Indian cities – Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune – rank in the top 10 on the TomTom Traffic Index for 2023, which analyzes congestion levels and rush hour speeds in cities around the world.
Venezuela: Where Rules Don’t Apply
Venezuela and Zimbabwe, each with average scores of over 6.9 out of 10 follow India as the most nerve-wracking places to drive. Venezuela presents a perfect storm of dangerous driving conditions that would challenge even the most experienced drivers. With very little traffic controls, speed limits and officials overseeing the roads, driving can be quite a challenge in Venezuela. Venezuela is home to some of the most unsafe roads in South America, with traffic in numerous areas and poor road conditions in others.
The lack of adequate infrastructure and enforcement creates an environment where drivers essentially make their own rules. This absence of consistent traffic management systems means that what might be considered reckless driving elsewhere becomes the norm for survival on Venezuelan roads.
Saudi Arabia: Speed and Danger
Saudi Arabia has the highest number of road deaths per 100,000 people, which is 27 more than the average of 8.57. Saudi Arabia has large crude oil deposits, meaning petrol prices are very low. 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.
The country’s driving culture includes a particularly dangerous practice that sets it apart from other nations. Driving in Saudi is safe for more of the time, however, there is one thing to watch out for that classifies Saudi drivers as some of the most daring. Saudis participate in what is called ‘Hajwalah’ also known as Saudi Drifting, which involves completely tilting your car while driving!
