The Burrow
Aug 20, 2025
Safe, reliable roads and responsible drivers are the foundation of any well-functioning transport system. In 2025, the differences in road safety, legal alcohol limits, speed regulation, and infrastructure quality across countries remain stark, impacting driver wellbeing, insurance costs, government policy and public confidence.
To better understand which nations are leading the way when it comes to road safety and driver responsibility, the car insurance experts at Compare the Market have ranked 56 countries in the latest update of their World’s Best Drivers Index.
Read on to see some of the best countries to drive in, and some of the most dangerous places to be on the road. And, if you’re interested in viewing our 2023 data, you can access it here.
There’s no one metric to judge good driving conditions, so our index scores the 56 countries we analysed based on five key factors:
We’ve pulled all of these factors to create a combined composite score out of 100 for each of the 56 countries and identify the best countries for drivers and, on the other end of the scale, the worst or most dangerous places to drive in the world.
Home to canals, windmills and sprawling fields of rainbow tulips, the Netherlands comes in as our number one country to drive in – and the scenery is just a bonus. With well-maintained roads, reasonable average speed limits and relatively low congestion, driving in the Netherlands is a breeze, especially when you’re outside of the city centres, with the country earning our highest score of 84.88 out of 100. The only thing you need to keep an eye out for are cyclists coming from every direction!
In a close second was Estonia, with strong infrastructure supported by it having the lowest traffic index score on our list. As one of the least populous European countries, at just 1.3 million people, it’s maybe not surprising that the roads are safer than busier countries, and its total score out of 100 was 81.93. The legal BAC limit is just 0.02% and the projected road deaths are 2.1 per 100,000 people, among some of the lowest on our list.
Japan and Sweden came in at third and fourth respectively, standing out for their high road quality and low fatalities; while Japan does have a high traffic index score, its average speed limit is just 70km/h, the lowest on our list, and its composite score was very close to Estonia at 81.29 out of 100.
Thailand fell into last place on our list, with the third-highest rate of road deaths by country at 30.7 per 100,000 people (outdone only by Vietnam with 38.5, and Saudi Arabia with an eye-watering 53.8!). In 2021, data revealed that 3.5% of all deaths in the country could be attributed to road crashes.1 Known for its beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine and rich culture, Thailand is unfortunately also home to heavy congestion, especially in and around Bangkok, and it scored just 43.83 out of 100 overall.
Argentina and Indonesia are close behind, due to a combination of poor road quality and limited traffic regulation enforcement. Indonesia is one of the most popular travel destinations for Australians,2 so if you’re heading out that way and planning to drive, make sure you’re a confident driver, stay safe on and around the roads, and be aware of the zero tolerance policy for any blood alcohol content while driving.
The United Arab Emirates has zero predicted road deaths and a zero BAC tolerance, as well as a high road quality score; however, these factors are offset by high congestion and the fastest speed limits on our list, which average out at 125km/h, giving them a middling overall score of 65.34 out of 100.
Iceland also had zero predicted road deaths and fared well with an overall score of 70.60 out of 100, while South Africa and Vietnam both struggle with high death rates and poor road quality, with South Africa receiving one of the highest traffic index scores on our list.
Of course, we have to mention Australia, which ranked #43 out of the 56 countries we reviewed and received a disappointing overall score of 56.70 out of 100. Despite solid infrastructure and a reasonable BAC limit, its traffic congestion score and road death rate pull it down in the rankings, leaving plenty of room for improvement. It seems Australia’s urban traffic and fatality rates aren’t quite ready to compete with the world’s safest driving nations.
Always stay informed about legal BAC and speed limits when driving abroad
Our research shows that, of the countries we looked at, legal BAC limits range from zero tolerance to 0.08%, and average speed limits vary from 70km/h to almost double that at 125km/h. However you’re used to driving at home, it’s critical that you know what the local limits are and stick to them.
Consider both infrastructure and local traffic behaviours when driving overseas
Road quality itself aside, it’s critical that if you’re planning to drive in a different country, you must make yourself aware of any differences in the infrastructure, signage and rules before setting off, as well as taking into account any differences in driver behaviour.
The best thing you can be as a driver is predictable – if you can, try to get some practice in somewhere quiet before doing any big trips.
Stay awake and alert, particularly when travelling long distances
Planning a road trip? Make sure to rest frequently and, if possible, take turns driving or stop to sleep. Whether you’re driving domestically or abroad, it’s vital to give driving your full concentration to maximise the safety of yourself, your passengers, other road users and those around you.
Invest in better traffic management to reduce congestion
They say the best offense is a good defence, and that particularly rings true here; both daily traffic management and the organisation of any roadworks or diversion (including the use of signage, barriers, traffic signals and speed limits) can greatly reduce the build-up of congestion on roads, allowing traffic to flow more freely. This can reduce emissions as well as driver frustration and can make it easier for emergency vehicles to traverse built-up areas.
Introduce or enforce stricter drink-driving laws
As part of our data, we found significant overlap between the countries with the fewest road deaths and those with the lowest blood alcohol content limits. The Victorian Transport Accident Commission estimates that if everyone avoided driving after drinking, the number of road fatalities could be reduced by up to 20%, highlighting the critical importance of strictly-enforced laws around driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.3
Make road safety education a core part of driver training programs
As well as testing that new drivers can safely operate their vehicle, road safety education is a key part of ensuring that all drivers understand the inherent risks associated with driving and how to mitigate them.
Adrian Taylor, Executive General Manager for General Insurance stated: “Driving in another country can be an incredible way to explore at your own pace but it also comes with risks if you’re unfamiliar with the road rules or conditions. Even simple differences, like which side of the road to drive on, can catch you off guard.”
“Taking the time to prepare can make your trip smoother and far safer, particularly if you’re abroad in one of the more difficult countries to drive in. And if sticking to the roads a little closer to home in Australia is more your speed, consider getting a car insurance policy to help protect yourself should the worst happen.”
Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before purchase to ensure you understand the inclusions and exclusions of any given policy and whether it is appropriate for you.
To identify the countries with the safest drivers, we conducted a data-led analysis of road safety, traffic conditions, and driving environments across 56 global locations. The aim was to create a ranking for 2025 based on publicly available datasets and statistical modelling. The index is designed to reflect where drivers are most likely to experience safe and supportive road conditions, based on a consistent set of measurable factors.
Traffic Accident Fatality Rate (2025 Projection)
Historical data on road deaths (up to 2019) was sourced from The Global Economy. A Poisson distribution model was fitted to each location using a lambda value informed by historical trend direction (increasing or decreasing). 100 simulations per country were run for the year 2025, and the average across iterations was used as the projected fatality rate.
Road Quality (2025 Projection)
Road quality scores (scale 1–7) were sourced from The Global Economy. An Empirical Bayes model was applied to the historical data to estimate 2025 values, smoothing variability across countries with limited recent data.
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits
Legal BAC limits were collected from country-level traffic law sources. Countries with zero-tolerance laws or alcohol bans were assigned a value of 0. Where no legal limit was found, a default maximum value of 0.1% was applied. For ranges, the upper limit was used.
Speed Limits
National speed limits were compiled across four road types: highways, expressways, country roads, and urban roads. Where speed limits were given as ranges, the upper value was used. An overall average was calculated across the four categories.
Traffic Index
Numbeo’s Traffic Index was included as a proxy for system inefficiency and congestion. Higher index scores were interpreted as increased risk exposure due to delays, inefficiencies, and traffic volume.
Where recent data was unavailable or inconsistent, historical data was used with predictive modelling (Poisson or Empirical Bayes, depending on the metric) to generate estimates for 2025.
All metrics were normalised to a common scale. Each metric was assigned equal weight. The final safety score was calculated as the average of all normalised values per country.
All data is correct as of 28/07/2025.
This index is based on publicly available data and forecast techniques designed to project likely 2025 conditions for drivers across multiple countries. While every effort has been made to source reliable and reputable data, we cannot independently verify the accuracy or completeness of all datasets used.
Some figures are based on projections from historical trends and may not reflect current or real-time conditions, particularly in countries with limited or inconsistent reporting. Where data was missing, statistical estimation was used to generate likely values.
This index is intended for informational and comparative purposes only. It should not be used as the sole basis for travel decisions, policymaking, or investment. Independent research is always recommended. This is a guide — not a definitive measure of road safety.