20. Stelvio Pass, Italy
Constructed: 1820-1825
Risk Factor: Hairpin turns and a low concrete barrier raises the risk of crashing down into the Alps
Stelvio Pass is a Northern Italian mountain pass that reaches an elevation of 9,045 feet above sea level. It holds the distinction of being the highest paved pass through the Eastern Alps, and it’s the second-highest pass in the Alps, as it’s just twenty-three feet below Col de L’iseran, a French road.
Stelvio Pass, Italy @Wikipedia
Stelvio Pass might be paved, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fraught with its own dangers. Built two centuries ago, the pass has a very low guardrail. Drivers who are speeding on Stelvio’s forty-eight hairpin turns aren’t protected from crashing and falling down the Alps. The road is a beautiful drive, but you have to take it slow or risk plummeting to your death.