The road was completed in 1974, coinciding with the 1,100th anniversary of the country's settlement[2] when the longest bridge in Iceland,[3] crossing the Skeiðará river in the southeast, was opened.

The road passes through almost all areas of the country (everywhere apart from the Westfjords), making it a popular itinerary to take for tourists and vacationing locals alike in Iceland.

The 7.4km long Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel near Akureyri in the north of the country shortened the route by 16km and improved winter safety, bypassing a mountain road.

In more rural parts of the country, mostly in the glacial plains of the south and the Eastfjords, 31 single-lane bridges exist on the Ring Road.

In recent years, new tunnels such as the 7.4km long Vaðlaheiðargöng near Akureyri in the north, have reduced the need to close the road due to snow.

Prior to rerouting, the route between Breiðdalsvík and Egilsstaðir (over the Breiðdalsheiði plateau) in the east was often closed in winter.

In addition, the Skeiðarársandur plain is subject to frequent glacial floods during or after eruptions on the nearby Grímsvötn volcano.

Traffic levels on the road vary considerably between locations: in and near Reykjavík around 20,000-50,000 vehicles use the road daily,[13] rural sections serving routes between Reykjavik and Akureyri in the west and Reykjavík and Vík in the south see traffic volumes of around 2,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day.

The stretches farthest away from larger towns, mostly in the sparsely inhabited east of the country see an average around 500 vehicles per day.

This is due to a lower flow of tourist and agricultural traffic, as well as the roads being less passable or even closed during the winter.

[14] This is planned to be replaced by a new bypass road and new 4-lane bridge over the Ölfus river, currently under construction and projected to be complete by 2028.

The event was broadcast live in 360-degree video with a soundtrack of constantly evolving music based around elements of their track "Óveður".