JUAN ADRIÁN, Dominican Republic
Ascending into the clouds, abruptly spiraling downward and weaving through cratered flood plains, the 30-mile road from San José de Ocoa to Juan Adrián is widely known to be treacherous.
A local will tell you that 50 people have died in the last year on the new second half of the route from Rancho Arriba, a number at which authorities scoff even while acknowledging the death toll rises routinely.
The passage is rife with every sort of caution sign. They plead with drivers to honk their horns moving into blind curves and implore them to slow down and get in low gear and turn lights on even by daylight and “Proteja su Vida” (protect your life) by wearing seat belts.