Traffic Death Rates In Dominican Republic Among Highest In The World

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Jan 30, 2012
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Traffic Death Rates In Dominican Republic Among Highest In The World


Such accidents, in fact, are shaping up as a major health crisis in this 11 million-person country. The Dominican Republic is effectively the deadliest nation anywhere for drivers, second only to the tiny South Pacific island of Niue, where each death among its roughly 1,400 inhabitants spikes the fatality average. For every 100,000 inhabitants in the Dominican Republic, 42 die every year from traffic accidents, according to the World Health Organization.

Dominican officials believe a lethal mix of alcohol, speed and blatant disregard for traffic laws is to blame. On a recent weekend, police stopped more than 460 motorcycles and 170 cars in the capital of Santo Domingo, issuing tickets mostly for driving the wrong way or running red lights.

go figure
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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It's like playing a game of dodge ball here in Jarabacoa with the motos coming from the left and right, back and front and that's on the one ways. I swear most of these young guys have a death wish.
 

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
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This news should not be surprising in a country where directional signals are optional and the horn acts as a brake. In Las Terrenas it is like driving in a video game. Crazy but fun.

LTSteve
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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My driving skilz have increased exponentially driving cars and motorcycles (not motos) here in the DR the last 5? years.

There is a pattern to the chaos and it behooves one to learn that pattern and integrate it into how you drive.

If you'd like a free eBook about driving in the DR, frop me a PM with your e-addy. It's target motorcycles, but applies to cars as well.
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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This topic has been discussed in two separate threads. I have read the report and it is not based on real statistics and is therefore not trustworthy. I expect is is easier for WHO to classify many "third world" countries alike, hence the problem.
 

cobraboy

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This topic has been discussed in two separate threads. I have read the report and it is not based on real statistics and is therefore not trustworthy. I expect is is easier for WHO to classify many "third world" countries alike, hence the problem.
Sorry, Chip, you're wrong.

While I have zero faith in the WHO, I have seen the states, generated from a study by both the Dept. of health and Insurance companies and it mirrors the WHO findings. Would not surprise me if they got their info from that study.

I think I posted it once before.
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Sorry, Chip, you're wrong.

While I have zero faith in the WHO, I have seen the states, generated from a study by both the Dept. of health and Insurance companies and it mirrors the WHO findings. Would not surprise me if they got their info from that study.

I think I posted it once before.

Please post your references so that I can review them.
 

wrecksum

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Sep 27, 2010
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You have to be kidding!!

This can only be for folks who have not visited or driven in other non-US, UK, Europe type countries.

Try Nairobi-Mombasa, Karachi (the very worst I've ever seen) India, Abidjan,St Petersburg,KInshasa,Lagos,Paris, Milan, Peru, so I'm told, etc etc.etc..

Driving here in the DR is only difficult if you come from the American continent or somewhere equally sterile.
The rest of us are used to it....DR is pretty easy, stay alert and defensive.

Statistics are statistically manipulated
 

cobraboy

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You are referring to the US Health Dept.? Also, which insurance company?
Chip, two years ago I sat with the owners of the 5 largest insurance companies in the DR (one is Alida's cousin) and an egghead academic who did a thorough study on traffic accidents and deaths in the DR commissioned by the Minister of Health. A couple of DR1ers are aware of this meeting.

My participation in the meeting is how to reduce the number and severity of moto accidents and we're investigating one possibility I may be directly involved in.

I saw the study and the numbers.

The DR is statistically a dangerous place to drive, period. There are reasons for it, and certainly ways to mitigate the danger, but it is what it is.
 

Chip

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Chip, two years ago I sat with the owners of the 5 largest insurance companies in the DR (one is Alida's cousin) and an egghead academic who did a thorough study on traffic accidents and deaths in the DR commissioned by the Minister of Health. A couple of DR1ers are aware of this meeting.

My participation in the meeting is how to reduce the number and severity of moto accidents and we're investigating one possibility I may be directly involved in.

I saw the study and the numbers.

The DR is statistically a dangerous place to drive, period. There are reasons for it, and certainly ways to mitigate the danger, but it is what it is.

I am not saying the DR does not have it's issues.

My contention is the "fudge factor" the WHO added to the Ministry of Health to get from the Procuradur?a General's number of 1,902 traffic fatalities to 4,143, an increase of 117%, is based on a "third world" factor and not on real science nor much less investigation. Furthermore, the regression equation is based on a generic model developed in 1920 titled "An Inquiry into the Nature of Frequency Distributions Representative of Multiple Happenings with Particular Reference to the Occurrence of Multiple Attacks of Disease or of Repeated Accidents".

In other words, basically the only reasoning behind increasing the DR's official fatalities is that it worked for Zimbabwe and other thrid world countries, etc as opposed to doing real research and taking into account the infrastructure the DR has in place to record such event, not to mention the cultural aspects of caring for the dead.

Finally, conspicuously enough, other "third world" countries have a much less "fudge factor" applied, like 30% so the designation of the DR in the countries with the worst infrastructure is arbitrary, to say the least. This is not science.
 

Criss Colon

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chip's devotion to his "Personal DR Agenda" remains intact!
He is the only person here on DR1 who sees no downside to ANYTHING "Dominicano", "My Frens"!
The infrastructure is horrible, the drivers are worse!
I will allow that the DR is a "Developing Country", with a whole LOT of "developing" yet to go.
Burying one's head-in-the-sand, and refusing to acknowledge that there are problems does nothing to further the DR's agenda!
ONLY chip's "Personal Agenda" that is!
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zoomzx11

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Jan 21, 2006
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Its the chip being the chip. Only change is the topic, otherwise the song remains the same.
 

Criss Colon

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"ZOOM",You Noticed!
"Traffic Deaths" if God allows a pregnant woman to die in a car crash, and the fetus dies as well, what does that make god?????
Just thought I'd bring in the "Abortion Card" to save ship some time!
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Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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You Noticed!
"Traffic Deaths" if God allows a pregnant woman to die in a car crash, and the fetus dies as well, what does that make god?????
Just thought I'd bring in the "Abortion Card" to save ship some time!
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Nice try Tom, not biting! Go somewhere else already, your agenda is crystal clear!