Ranking Reveals Brazil's Most Dangerous Roads

Ranking Reveals Brazil’s Most Dangerous Roads

Written by Sara Aquino

Published on 28/08/2025 at 09:51

Updated on 28/08/2025 at 09:55

Foto: Canva

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Discover The Most Dangerous Roads In Brazil In 2024. PRF Ranking Highlights BR-101, Death Highway, And Other Segments.

Driving in Brazil can be an adventure filled with unique landscapes, but it also poses significant risks. According to the 2024 Yearbook from the Federal Highway Police (PRF), released in April 2024, the most dangerous roads in the country continue to record high rates of accidents and fatalities.

The research, conducted in partnership with the National Transport Confederation (CNT), indicates that structural problems, heavy traffic, and adverse weather conditions turn certain stretches of BRs into critical points for drivers and passengers.

Among the highlights are Morro dos Cavalos in Santa Catarina and the Death Highway in Minas Gerais, two symbols of how the combination of poor infrastructure and high traffic can turn a trip into tragedy.

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The Ranking Of The Most Dangerous Roads In Brazil

According to PRF data, these are the ten most dangerous roads in the country in 2024:

BR-101 (SC – Morro dos Cavalos);

BR-116 (SP–PR – Régis Bittencourt);

BR-381 (MG – Death Highway);

BR-040 (RJ–MG–GO–DF);

BR-153 (Transbrasiliana);

BR-163 (MT–MS–PA);

BR-316 (AL–PE–PI–PA);

BR-364 (GO–MT–RO–AC);

BR-277 (Paraná);

BR-262 (MS–MG–ES).

These roads are among those with the highest incidence of head-on collisions, pile-ups, and rollovers, becoming frequent scenes of traffic tragedies.

BR-101 And Morro Dos Cavalos: A Constant Risk In Santa Catarina

BR-101, one of the busiest in Brazil, has Morro dos Cavalos as its most critical stretch. Located between Palhoça and Paulo Lopes, the area sees over 22,000 vehicles per day and can exceed 390,000 during holiday periods.

The danger increases due to unstable slopes, prone to landslides. In April 2024, a blockage lasting over 50 hours completely halted traffic, highlighting the highway’s vulnerability during rainfall.

For drivers, traveling through this stretch turns into a test of patience and survival.

BR-116: Régis Bittencourt And The Challenge Of Serra Do Cafezal

Known as Régis Bittencourt, BR-116 connects São Paulo and Curitiba and is a crucial route for freight trucks. The stretch at Serra do Cafezal is considered one of the most dangerous, even after duplication works.

The combination of fog, sharp curves, and slippery tracks makes serious accidents still frequent.

Emergency escape areas, installed to reduce tragedies, are constantly activated by drivers in peril.

BR-381: The Feared Death Highway In Minas Gerais

BR-381 in Minas Gerais carries the nickname Death Highway for a clear reason: its high fatality rate.

Cutting through the state and connecting Belo Horizonte to Governador Valadares, the road is filled with dangerous curves, steep climbs, and descents.

With a daily flow of 25,000 vehicles, mostly trucks, the risk of head-on collisions is enormous. The history of fatal accidents is so extensive that the road has become a symbol of road insecurity in Minas.

Roads That Worry Drivers Across Brazil

In addition to the most well-known sections, other highways are also part of the ranking of the most dangerous roads:

The BR-040, between Rio de Janeiro and Brasília, suffers from landslides in the Serra de Petrópolis;

The BR-153, the Transbrasiliana, still has long stretches of single track, increasing the risks of fatal overtaking;

The BR-163, essential for agribusiness, is dubbed the “death corridor” due to the number of pile-ups;

The BR-316, linking Maceió to Belém, mixes intense urban traffic with cargo transport, favoring collisions;

The BR-364, cutting through Western Amazonia, suffers even more during the rainy season;

The BR-277, in Paraná, has recorded pile-ups involving dozens of vehicles due to fog;

The BR-262, between Corumbá and Vitória, accumulates accidents involving trucks and animal crossings in the Pantanal.

Traffic And Infrastructure: The Major Challenges

The numbers show that accidents on these highways do not happen by chance. The mix of single lanes, poor maintenance conditions, heavy truck traffic, and severe weather phenomena turns these roads into daily risks.

For experts, investing in duplications, escape areas, and structural improvements is essential to reduce the rates of deaths and accidents.

Until that happens, drivers continue to face the so-called most dangerous roads in Brazil, with heightened attention at every turn.

Ranking Reveals Brazil’s Most Dangerous Roads

Discover The Most Dangerous Roads In Brazil In 2024. PRF Ranking Highlights BR-101, Death Highway, And Other Segments.

The Ranking Of The Most Dangerous Roads In Brazil

BR-101 And Morro Dos Cavalos: A Constant Risk In Santa Catarina

BR-116: Régis Bittencourt And The Challenge Of Serra Do Cafezal

BR-381: The Feared Death Highway In Minas Gerais

Roads That Worry Drivers Across Brazil

Traffic And Infrastructure: The Major Challenges

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Ranking Reveals Brazil’s Most Dangerous Roads

Discover The Most Dangerous Roads In Brazil In 2024. PRF Ranking Highlights BR-101, Death Highway, And Other Segments.

The Ranking Of The Most Dangerous Roads In Brazil

BR-101 And Morro Dos Cavalos: A Constant Risk In Santa Catarina

BR-116: Régis Bittencourt And The Challenge Of Serra Do Cafezal

BR-381: The Feared Death Highway In Minas Gerais

Roads That Worry Drivers Across Brazil

Traffic And Infrastructure: The Major Challenges

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