Dangerous Roads: Mexico

Drivers who bought their licenses, the deadly war between rival cartels and poorly maintained roads have made the autopista del sol one of the world’s most dangerous roads.

Mexico is one of the worst countries in the world for road safety. 14,000 people die on the roads there every year. One road in this country has a particularly sinister reputation. The 95d, called the autopista del sol. It is 367 kilometres long, and links the capital, Mexico city, to the world-famous beach resort of Acapulco. In the states in Mexico that are traversed by the  95d, it is possible to legally buy a driving license. As a result, many drivers lack basic skills, and they often engage in speeding and drunk driving.

But on the autopista del sol there is another danger. It runs through the state of Guerrero… an area blighted by drug trafficking and the deadly war between rival cartels. And some of the drivers on the 95d become collateral damage in the drug war.