As a motorcyclist with tens of thousands of miles riding real motorcycles in the DR I can testify that riding here is no more dangerous than anywhere else. In fact, seeing how there are over 1.3 million motos out of 2.1 million registered vehicles-roughly equivalent to 6 times as many motos per capita than the states-I am constantly amazed there aren't MORE moto accidents here.
Yes, the conditions here are a challenge...IF you come from the sterile road environment in the First World and you've never ridien a motorcycle before-as I suspect many on this thread never really have. These guys and gals grow up here. To them, these conditions are as normal as can be.
MotoCaribe wrote a lengthy essay on how to ride motorcycles in the DR:
Two Wheels in Paradise: A Definitive Survival Guide to Riding Motorcycles in the Dominican Republic A long, but hopefully informative read.
The #1 way to radically lower the death-by-moto stats here is to WEAR A REAL HELMET. I'll bet the deceased wasn't. And the #1 way to keep skin and bone intact in an accident on a moto is to WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR. Gear can take a disasterous accident and make it an inconvenience. Sore and bruised is much better than dead. I can give First Person Testament to this.
True motorcyclists wear their gear like true car drivers wear their seatbelts.
Besides-it's a series of personal choices. If you want to remain as safe as possible, you gear up. If you want to take chances-and accept the consequences-you don't.