Bolivia’s Death Road: 300 Deaths a Year (RCR Stories)

For decades, a single dirt track carved into the cliffs of Bolivia connected the capital of La Paz to the agricultural hub of Nor Yungas province. Locals called it El Camino de la Muerte or La Carreterra de la Muerte, or simply, The Death Road. Built by prisoners of war in the 1930s, this road wasn’t a symbol of progress, but a lifeline between two regions that depended upon one another to survive. With sheer drops of up to 2,000 feet, no guardrails, constant rain, and cliffs that literally collapse beneath tires, Bolivia’s North Yungas Road claimed as many as 300 lives at the height of its danger. Bolivia's North Yungas Road would come to be known as the most dangerous road in the world and, quite possibly, the most dangerous road ever built in human history. This is the story of why it was built, the unique danger it presents, and why people still ride it today. RCR Stories presents: El Camino de la Muerte, The Death Road of Bolivia. Poul Lorca Dev's excellent Medium article on the North Yungas Road: https://medium.com/the-winery-travel/death-road-bolivias-yungas-road-2d73f1cf6d43 For more longform automotive essays, check out these exciting, in-depth videos: The Worst Traffic Jam In History: China 2010 (RCR Stories): https://youtu.be/vUuCZpktoIk?si=t8rXhdi5vqW9OKLW The 22,000-Mile Race: New York To Paris 1908 (RCR Stories): https://youtu.be/20Q_34im3ec?si=cWH8tWc2LdeW7bob The Outlaw Origins of NASCAR (RCR Stories): https://youtu.be/q7qqy2DBk0w?si=gkaavn4euanm-vHl If you enjoy the show, Patreon is the best way to keep it going: https://www.patreon.com/regularcarreviews Shirts and Mugs: https://regularcars-shop.fourthwall.com/ Key tags and plate frames: https://www.zazzle.com/store/regularcarsFind RCR online: BlueSky: @regularcars / @theromannick Instagram: @regularcarreviews / @theromannick Linktree: https://linktr.ee/regularcarreviews Second channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RegularandRoman Thank you for supporting Regular Car Reviews!