Video grab of a youth riding his car dangerously on the Gap Road stretch of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway. Image used for representative purpose only.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
South Africa has been named the world’s most dangerous country to drive in the annual report put together by a U.S.-based driver training company based on research in 53 countries.
India, at 49th place, was listed among the bottom five with the U.S. ranking 51, making it the third most dangerous country to drive, according to Zutobi.com, the international driver’s education company with courses in multiple countries.
For the fourth year in a row, Norway is the safest country in the world for driving, while South Africa maintained its last position in the list for the second consecutive year.
The Zutobi statement said it analysed countries based on indicators including motorway speed limits, blood alcohol concentration limits for drivers and road traffic death rates, to determine the world’s safest and most dangerous countries to drive.
The average number of estimated road traffic deaths per 1,00,000 across all countries has decreased since the previous year from 8.9 to 6.3, while there has been no change in national speed limits and blood alcohol concentration limits in each country, it said.
“There are laws in South Africa, but the lack of enforcement through corrupt traffic officers who take bribes is commonly discussed among drivers,” said Alisha Chinnah, working for a company that arranges roadworthy licensing for vehicles at testing stations in Johannesburg.
Published – March 29, 2025 08:01 pm IST
