Death via car accidents stats in the DR vs car accident death stats in the USA

incredible

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Jul 9, 2006
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I hate to bring up a negative topic, but i was reading Listin Diario who reports the 2nd leading cuz of sudden death after homicides are car
accidents in the Domincan Republic. While driving daily it seems like I alays see at least one accident whether a fender bender or a really bad one...
It's very heart wrenching...

Here are the facts:

Listin Diario reports
0:03 P.M. SANTO DOMINGO. - The traffic accidents constitute the second cause of happened tragic deaths in Dominican Republic, preceded by the homicides, according to data provided by the National Office of Estadi'sticas (ONE). Only in the 2006 1.602 deaths by traffic accidents took place, which represented 35 % of the tragic deceases. (How many of these deaths go unreported?)

Comparison
16 states see road deaths slashed - USATODAY.com
I will use the state of New Jersey as a comparison, because NJ has close to 9,000,000 people in the state which is similar to the population in the DR. The total traffic fatalities list at 748 in 2006.

So basically, you have more than double, chance of dying in a car accident in the dr than in the state of NJ!

Is there anyway that the government, or educational system can improve this major problem?

I know we have a recent thread about the garbage but we are losing human beings, due to careless & reckless driving habits!
We are talking about loss of life.

Is there any precautions one can take when driving in the DR?
Let me know what you ladies and gents feel on this topic!
 

Don Juan

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Dec 5, 2003
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Precautions to take:

If you're not accustomed to helter-skelter driving, non-working traffic lights and rude, aggressive, drivers who own the roads, DON'T drive yourself anywhere!! leave it to the pros, catch a big bus or, eventually, ride the subway.
 

tjmurray

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Aug 11, 2006
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Driving in the DR is nothing easy. There is a general disregard for traffic laws and there is hardly any enforcement of them. At times It seems like every man for himself. Unlike in NJ, for example, there is no such thing as pedestrian has the right away or pass on the right; stopping at stop signs, etc, etc. I believe you would calls these rules of the road but I also consider them manners of the road as well. With the lack of education there is in the DR, manners are hardly used in any aspect of life.

When driving here be cautious and don't let the impatience of others get you caught up. On the roads of the DR you have to watch for dogs jumping out, people jumping out, motoconchos jumping out and mammoth potholes doing the same. The most important thing is to arrive at your destination safe, even if that means arriving 10 minutes later. Be careful everyone...
 

azabache

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Apr 25, 2006
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With the lack of education there is in the DR, manners are hardly used in any aspect of life.

That was really a great post. Yes, education in the DR is generally very poor but I have to strongly disagree with the above statement.
 

tjmurray

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Aug 11, 2006
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That was really a great post. Yes, education in the DR is generally very poor but I have to strongly disagree with the above statement.

I believe there is general lack of manners in the DR, maybe by my standards anyway. Maybe these are only personal experiences but some examples that come to mind are watching Dominicans push each other instead of waiting patiently in line, my professors answering their cell phones in the middle of class, my Dominican cousins answering their cell phones at my grandmother's funeral, not giving the pedestrian the right away. I think this general lack of etiquette can be seen on the roads as well. In all honesty, I don't want to stray too much from the OP as we began discussing road safety and not Dominican manners.

I'm sure there will be much disagreement with the above statement which could probably shoot off a new thread.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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9,000,000 in NJ is not 9,000,000 in th DR

I hate to bring up a negative topic, but i was reading Listin Diario who reports the 2nd leading cuz of sudden death after homicides are car
accidents in the Domincan Republic. While driving daily it seems like I alays see at least one accident whether a fender bender or a really bad one...
It's very heart wrenching...

Here are the facts:

Listin Diario reports
0:03 P.M. SANTO DOMINGO. - The traffic accidents constitute the second cause of happened tragic deaths in Dominican Republic, preceded by the homicides, according to data provided by the National Office of Estadi'sticas (ONE). Only in the 2006 1.602 deaths by traffic accidents took place, which represented 35 % of the tragic deceases. (How many of these deaths go unreported?)

Comparison
16 states see road deaths slashed - USATODAY.com
I will use the state of New Jersey as a comparison, because NJ has close to 9,000,000 people in the state which is similar to the population in the DR. The total traffic fatalities list at 748 in 2006.

So basically, you have more than double, chance of dying in a car accident in the dr than in the state of NJ!

Is there anyway that the government, or educational system can improve this major problem?

I know we have a recent thread about the garbage but we are losing human beings, due to careless & reckless driving habits!
We are talking about loss of life.

Is there any precautions one can take when driving in the DR?
Let me know what you ladies and gents feel on this topic!

I am sure the 9,000,000 people in NJ own many more cars and drive many more miles per capita than the DR. I would guess your chances of dying of a car accident in the DR are 20 times greater per mile. But I still rent a car each time I go. The last time, I got rear ended while at a red light and the guy said I was at fault for stopping. You aint in Kansas. Search the forums on lots of advice on the subject. Good luck!
 
C

Chip00

Guest
I think what is telling in the Listin report is that 33% of the accidents are pedestrian fatalities hit by vehicles.

Also, part of the problem here in the DR is the rampant drinking and driving. My sister in law is a nurse at the public hospital in Santiago and by far the majority of the accidents happen on the weekends when so many people are drinking.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the accidents in this country occur in the capital. There the people act like they do back home - in a hurry and they drive fast. They are also a lot quicker with the horn and a lot more impatient as opposed to Santiago.

IMO the roads here in Santiago and Moca are safer than they are back home in Orlando. When there is an accident back home it is usually at a fairly high speed wherever it is as oppose to around town where going fast may be 45 mph. In fact when we come home to Santiago from Moca it isn't uncommon for the traffic to be doing less than 35, back home people on a road like that will be cruising at 75 easily.

So in my opinion to be safe in the DR, don't be out on the streets late at night during the weekends, avoid the capital like the plague and please be careful when you are crossing the street.
 
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batich

Guest
Being a gringo and driving a car in DR = WAITING (LOOKING) FOR BIG TROUBLE. That will happen. Sooner or later. With your fault or without. But in both cases gringo will be found guilty. And will have to pay HUGE or to leave the country or both.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Being a gringo and driving a car in DR = WAITING (LOOKING) FOR BIG TROUBLE. That will happen. Sooner or later. With your fault or without. But in both cases gringo will be found guilty. And will have to pay HUGE or to leave the country or both.

Don't want to tempt fate but 14 years of driving here & still waiting........;) Mind you I drive carefully but certainly not timidly. 'Paying huge' or leaving the country is only if you kill someone & it's your fault. And if you take out a family's breadwinner then it is only right to compensate if the accident was your fault. No need to leave the country for fender benders. And no need to do this when someone accuses you wrongly. I've been accused of hitting people (with my car) whom I never touched. Stand your ground. Prove your point, work up the crowd which gathers to be on your side. Don't be angry or browbeaten, retain sense of humour, use it to relate to 'audience'. The last person who falsely accused me gave up because he could see that the Do?a was winning the crowd to her side & he was loosing face. So naturally he scuttled away.

I really thought I was for the high jump the other day when I suddenly spotted a parking space & pulled over while indicating simultaneously. That wasn't a lot of warning for the 2 Policia Nacional on a motorcycle too close to my rear. The driver wobbled & had to put his feet down so I was expecting to be given a lesson in how not to suddenly find a parking space. Would you believe all I got was a look - they didn't say a word. Probably used to it with non-gringo drivers. :)
 
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batich

Guest
Don't want to tempt fate but 14 years of driving here & still waiting........;) Mind you I drive carefully but certainly not timidly. 'Paying huge' or leaving the country is only if you kill someone & it's your fault. And if you take out a family's breadwinner then it is only right to compensate if the accident was your fault. No need to leave the country for fender benders. And no need to do this when someone accuses you wrongly. I've been accused of hitting people (with my car) whom I never touched. Stand your ground. Prove your point, work up the crowd which gathers to be on your side. Don't be angry or browbeaten, retain sense of humour, use it to relate to 'audience'. The last person who falsely accused me gave up because he could see that the Do?a was winning the crowd to her side & he was loosing face. So naturally he scuttled away.

I really thought I was for the high jump the other day when I suddenly spotted a parking space & pulled over while indicating simultaneously. That wasn't a lot of warning for the 2 Policia Nacional on a motorcycle too close to my rear. The driver wobbled & had to put his feet down so I was expecting to be given a lesson in how not to suddenly find a parking space. Would you believe all I got was a look - they didn't say a word. Probably used to it with non-gringo drivers. :)


to me PERSONALLY - neither. in almost ten years. but to some of my people - yes. including set-up accidents or thefts. retroactively i can see that i was VERY lucky in the past when was careless and did not take a lot of precaution. Especially in places like capital and Boca Chica.

a car is the biggest potential liability.

also do not forget that almost all dominicans (especially in jeepetas) carry pistolas with them. and use them surprisingly easy. like toys.
DR is not for softies any longer. it is a tough place to live now. and with each new deportee from NY it becomes more and more like the South Bronx.

BE SAFE, MY BRETHEREN!!

(Sorry, Chris (CCCCCCCC), for another "alarmism" and "negativism" !!)
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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I'm surprise it hasn't been brought up, but the statistics are skewed. In order to analyse and compare the large proportion of DR traffic accident fatalities vis-a-vis other countries, we have to factor in deaths caused by the typically inappropriate handling of accident victims, the terrible care at emergency treatment facilities, not counting the inadequate medical services provided in most public hospitals. I'm sure many accident victim's lives could have, and can be, saved if emergency services were at a par with those, say in New Jersey. My own wife (before I met her), was hit by a speeding bus ("voladora"), en left for dead on the side of the road, covered over with a tarp. Hours later, her sister found her and noticing she was still alive, stopped a pick-up truck, and with the help of the driver she was practically slung on the back of the truck, and driven two hours away to the closest trauma medical facility. How many in similar situations don't make it?
 
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Chip00

Guest
I'm surprise it hasn't been brought up, but the statistics are skewed. In order to analyse and compare the large proportion of DR traffic accident fatalities vis-a-vis other countries, we have to factor in deaths caused by the typically inappropriate handling of accident victims, the terrible care at emergency treatment facilities, not counting the inadequate medical services provided in most public hospitals. I'm sure many accident victim's lives could have, and can be, saved if emergency services were at a par with those, say in New Jersey. My own wife (before I met her), was hit by a speeding bus ("voladora"), en left for dead on the side of the road, covered over with a tarp. Hours later, her sister found her and noticing she was still alive, stopped a pick-up truck, and with the help of the driver she was practically slung on the back of the truck, and driven two hours away to the closest trauma medical facility. How many in similar situations don't make it?

Very good points Mirador. If people doubt this they should go to the nearest public hospital on Saturday in the evening and watch how many severly injured people come in on the back of pickup trucks and the like. God help him having to endure so much pain for such a long time - it makes me cringe thinking about it.
 

qgrande

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Jul 27, 2005
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What I find amazing about this report is that apparently there were even more than 1602 homicides in the country in 2006.... That must surely be a mistake
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Remember that in New Jersey and most other states, you do not have these little motorcycles whizzing around, no lights, no helmets, no licenses either..
they cause and they are the results of many, many accidents.
Just yesterday three cousins got killed racing the little things....

Buy a Semi-people tend to get out of the way of them...

HB
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i am so put off from driving...
i still take some "classes" with minovio but my heart is not in it...

having said that - i don't want to be intimidated since i now live in DR - i can't be hiding and avoiding at all times, right? we still have car plans: mine is to have half rotten old jeepeta so i do not look much of a target, minovio's plan is to get me a decent car so i don't have to worry it breaks down. hell, i prefer a broken down car i have to have pulled back home then a nice one pulled up to the police station after some jerk "accidentally" hits me....

on the bright side - all gringos i know here who drive never EVER encoutered any major trouble and they drive anything from a piece of junk to brand new SUVs.....
 

planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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Several issues come to mind that will skew the data:

1. As indicated lack of quick and good medical care. Higher death rate is the result.

2. Motorcycles everywhere. How many of those deaths are motorcycle drivers or passengers who have little or no protection?

3. Little use of seat belts! We know it saves lives.

4. Little enforcement of drinking and driving laws.

5. Little regard for traffic laws.

6. Pedestrian deaths! As indicated it isn't safe for pedestrians. Get distracted for one minute and it can have serious consequences.

7. Bad roads, no lights or lights not functioning leads to more accidents and more deaths.

To the OP - you asked what we can do........ pressure the gov't to enforce the laws. Be careful ourselves. Dissuade visitors from renting vehicles. Use our seat belts even when we don't like it. Educate whenever and wherever we can.
 

jruane44

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Jul 2, 2004
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What I find amazing about this report is that apparently there were even more than 1602 homicides in the country in 2006.... That must surely be a mistake[/QUOTE Thats no mistake. I don't know where I read it, but there were about two thousand homicides in the DR in 2006. Pretty similar to the lawlessness that went on in NYC in the late 1980's.
 
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Chip00

Guest
What I find amazing about this report is that apparently there were even more than 1602 homicides in the country in 2006.... That must surely be a mistake[/QUOTE Thats no mistake. I don't know where I read it, but there were about two thousand homicides in the DR in 2006. Pretty similar to the lawlessness that went on in NYC in the late 1980's.

I posted some info back in December with the actual rates throughout the country for 2005 referenced with links if you want to do a search.
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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Very good points Mirador. If people doubt this they should go to the nearest public hospital on Saturday in the evening and watch how many severly injured people come in on the back of pickup trucks and the like. God help him having to endure so much pain for such a long time - it makes me cringe thinking about it.
I agree. My single biggest fear in the DR is to be involved in a serious accident, unable to communicate, and have to rely on whatever emergency services are available, not to mention being at the mercy of a public clinic.