Biggest transit accident in DR history - 20+ dead

[Lapurr]

My prayers are with the families today, what a horrible and tragic accident.
We have driven down this strech at least a dozen times and i have to say it is very scary, busses zooming by at high speeds...like way too fast for any bus to travel down a windey road. I've been on both a tourist bus and Yola both equally frightening.

this is awful.

 

[J D Sauser]

i was sent this link by a friend.

Tony con el Pueblo | La Romana, Repblica Dominicana

i haven't been able to see the link but i was told it was a video of the scene of the accident.

There are some very strong pictures... people should think twice before viewing this! :bored:

... J-D.

 

[Alyonka]

the server is very busy. I got aglimpse of some shots but closed the browser as it was buffering forever

I was able to watch this video. It is horrible. I am so sorry it happened. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims.

 

[Lapurr]

The video clips are extremely graphic, these images will be etched in my brain forever, kind of wish I didn't watch..I couldn't imagine being witness to this first hand, my prayers go out to those as well.

 

[drloca]

There are some very strong pictures... people should think twice before viewing this! :bored:

... J-D.

I agree, viewer discretion is strongly advised.

 

[robbie]

how to watch

I have been trying to watch this video but all I get is a bunch of advertising? Is there something else I shoukld click on? Its the same music over and over with a bunch of scenes from possibly la romana, nothing about the accident.

 

[Eddy]

The video clips are extremely graphic, these images will be etched in my brain forever, kind of wish I didn't watch..I couldn't imagine being witness to this first hand, my prayers go out to those as well.

They should make the compulsory viewing of this and other graphic images of accidents part of the sentence for any driver, especially bus drivers, caught driving dangerously. Maybe, just maybe something might click..

 

[robbie]

Watched the video

I figured this out. I cannot believe how horrible this is. Those poor people.
This video is very graphic. They should cover the bodies up with a sheet as they remove them from the wreck. How incredibly strong the impact must have been for this to end up like this. How very sad.

 

[margaret]

Unbelievable videos, including a thief making his way through the bus stealing cellulars. My heart goes out the families and the emergency workers who don't have the equipment to manage.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Perhaps AMET should start being more visible on accident prone roadways conducting heavy duty paper therapy on drivers.

 

[Lapurr]

It's so tragic, but preventable, the way some people drive is ruthless, something has to be done, first thing is first, the roads need to be maintained for safety.

Driving through Higuay was another scary scene, Big massive tourist busses flowing through traffic on tiny streets...I had to close my eyes a couple times, safety does not seem to be a priority.

 

[whirleybird]

What has happened today is a tragedy and my heart goes out to the relatives and friends of all involved. Accidents do happen and sometimes they can be attributed to merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time but, from what I have read, this terrible incident could have been avoided if some heartless fool had given any thought to other people before leaving a vehicle parked indiscriminately and to 'run/ drive away' leaving carnage behind is unforgiveable, however, whoever he was, even if not tracked down, has to live with that on his conscience for the rest of his life.

I have decided not looked at the video footage.

 

[Rocky]

I have come to the conclusion that I cannot trust that the road will be clear around a blind corner, as folks frequently stop/park in the most dangerous locations.
I firmly believe that they just don't understand the implications.
They see their friend, they pull over, they stop, they chat..... that's all that is going on in their minds at that moment.
I have readjusted my driving accordingly.

I'm sure that bus drivers know this too, but their desire to race (specially guaguas, trying to get to the next client first) is greater than their desire to be cautious.
Nothing will make this change, except the owners of the fleet vehicles exerting pressure on their own drivers.
The owners would be money motivated to do so, and money makes the world go round. (ie: The loss of the vehicle, potential lawsuits, higher insurance rates, etc)
Government legislation or the threat of long prison sentences, will not change a thing.

We can hope that the media coverage and online clip posted in this thread, will motivate the owners of public transport fleet vehicles, to make some changes/rules/regulations that will help reduce this type of incident.
To think that anything could stop fools from parking in the middle of the road wherever they damn well please, is nothing but a pipe dream.
Many many years going by will change that, but there is nothing that can be done today and it would be a waste of time to even try.

 

[seba17]

I have been driving that road today and a couple of times in the past weeks and the roads are in horrible conditions and so accidents such this could have been avoided. Until the government decides to build an highway from Higuey-La Romana or from Higuey-Bavaro, things like this will happen again. Don't understand.., they just built an highway from Santo Domingo to Samana' (and I don't believe Samana has even a fractional traffic that what these roads have..) so what are they waiting before building an highway for Higuey-La Romana or Higuey- Bavaro?? Are they waiting for more tragedies to occur????

 

[Got The Power]

I have been driving that road today and a couple of times in the past weeks and the roads are in horrible conditions and so accidents such this could have been avoided. Until the government decides to build an highway from Higuey-La Romana or from Higuey-Bavaro, things like this will happen again. Don't understand.., they just built an highway from Santo Domingo to Samana' (and I don't believe Samana has even a fractional traffic that what these roads have..) so what are they waiting before building an highway for Higuey-La Romana or Higuey- Bavaro?? Are they waiting for more tragedies to occur????

Do NOT look at the video, if you get queasy at this sort of footage!
It is disturbing to say the least. Nothing like North American footage.
Very sad indeed.

Speed kills!

 

[lexi]

OMG that is just so horrific. I know people put warnings above before viewing but I seriously would never have thought it was something like that. I am absolutely horrified. Those poor people -what they had to go through. How sad.

My husband called me first thing this morning to tell me about it as he is from San Pedro de Macoris and we have travelled those roads many times. But ashamedly I went back to work and didn't think too much about it. I had no idea at all.

One of his best friends had a friend who died in that crash today. My heart goes out to everyone involved. Everyone.

May everyone take safe precautions, wherever you are, when you are driving.

 

[rubio_higuey]

I could not see the video online but I have just finished watching a 1-hour footage from a local TV station in Higuey.

This is... terrible... I cannot find words. Heads without bodies, head skin being dispersed all over...just skin with eyes... bodies without body parts.... bodies that look like meat in the market... this is so terrible... cannot find the words

It certainly is the most terrible accident in the DR history... if not in the body count, than in the morbidity...

 

[shannecart]

I wish to pass on my condolences to all those who suffered a loss. It is such a shame that in a beautiful country like the D.R. such horrible accidents happen.
I believe the police and medics should make sure that these scenes don't become tourist scenes. Screen it off to the public. Why show all the bodyparts??
This will happen as long as ignorant drivers are still allowed on the road. Do something about obeying the laws of driving!!!!!

 

[Nyeden]

Unbelievable videos, including a thief making his way through the bus stealing cellulars. My heart goes out the families and the emergency workers who don't have the equipment to manage.

UNBELIEVABLE some people are so unscrupulous and have no respect for the victims.

 

[rubio_higuey]

From what I have seen in the videos... Sichoprola bus completely destroyed... it loks like if something has cut the bus in half, the lower and upper portion. Sichoprola is the bus company that runs Higuey - Santo Domingo route.

FL tours bus damaged in left front end...

I know the are where the accident happened, you cannot go mor ethan 80 km/h in the curve... in order for this to have results like this... the buses had to crash at least at 300 km/h cumulated speed, 150 km/h each...

Sichoprola drivers have been called the "assessins of the road"

The same driver had (not specified whether today) a "close-by" with a female driver in passanger car, bus driver commiting road piracy, female driver ended up throwing a stone into the bus and breaking a cristal. (source: 94.3 FM Higuey)

I have had many close-by's with Sichoprola drivers. They drive like mad, really mad people. Crazy. Stupid. Imbecils. They go to overtake even if they see a car coming in an incoming lane, and then they push themselves in into the right lane, regardless of who is there... even if it means pushing a vehicle out of the road.

I have filed several complaints against Sichoprola drivers myself... does not make a difference... hopefully this one will make

I know from experience and various converstaions that tourism drivers, be it bus, minivan or taxicab drivers, drive defensively with tourists on board.

I give the full blame to Sichoprola driver. And maybe he deserved it...even if it sounds cruel. Not the people on board. May the Lord be with their souls.