Carnage on Dominican roads is serious issue

[Dolores]

As a twelfth victim of the horrendous accident involving a loaded freight truck and a passenger bus in Quita Sueño, Haina was discovered in the debris, a local newspaper notes that there have been over two dozen traffic “incidents” over the past five days in the Greater Santo Domingo area alone.

It is well-known that the Dominican Republic ranks first in highway fatalities in the world, with 65 deaths per 100,000 population.

Technicians specializing in highway safety readily admit that 90% of all accidents are attributed to human error. In large part this can be seen as a result of Dominican prosperity that results in so many persons acquiring a motor vehicle with little or no training or knowledge of what is involved in its use.

The common use of alcoholic beverages while driving a vehicle is obviously another major cause, as well as speeding.

Experts point...

Continue reading...

 

[josh2203]

It's been a while since this crash with the bus and patana, and they have discovered nothing more than the driver was not drunk? I'm not even going to comment on that 90 % news as that's just 100 % ridiculous and sad... Thank you DR govt...

I'm just thankful that none of the people we know in the DR have to be in traffic on a daily basis and live in a small town... The only person with a license is my brother-in-law and he's an excellent and responsible driver... My father-in-law does not drive nor want to drive, he's afraid of driving... I'm happy for him for that...

 

[CristoRey]

Some things in life can't be fixed.

 

[MariaRubia]

This accident has been really playing on my mind a lot. Just seeing those young women waiting for the bus, boarding, and then probably pluging to their deaths, really can't get that out of my mind. And I keep wondering whether sometime something will flip and the government will seriously take some action on these trucks. So much has changed in the last few years, I just wonder what it will take for the roads to be sorted out.

 

[NanSanPedro]

This accident has been really playing on my mind a lot. Just seeing those young women waiting for the bus, boarding, and then probably pluging to their deaths, really can't get that out of my mind. And I keep wondering whether sometime something will flip and the government will seriously take some action on these trucks. So much has changed in the last few years, I just wonder what it will take for the roads to be sorted out.

If I had to guess, and that's obviously all I can do, is that because those folks were "nobodys", nothing will happen. Sad to say it will take someone high profile to be killed or maimed before something is done. Even then, I expect a lot of blah blah and nothing really accomplished.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

This accident has been really playing on my mind a lot. Just seeing those young women waiting for the bus, boarding, and then probably pluging to their deaths, really can't get that out of my mind. And I keep wondering whether sometime something will flip and the government will seriously take some action on these trucks. So much has changed in the last few years, I just wonder what it will take for the roads to be sorted out.

Again, I repeat, nothing changes if nothing changes

 

[malko]

This accident has been really playing on my mind a lot. Just seeing those young women waiting for the bus, boarding, and then probably pluging to their deaths, really can't get that out of my mind. And I keep wondering whether sometime something will flip and the government will seriously take some action on these trucks. So much has changed in the last few years, I just wonder what it will take for the roads to be sorted out.

I think it's a case of " pretending to be a modern country" versus " safe transportation ".

The DR chose the first option.

Infrastructure is 30 or 40 years behind. Roads are designed for a quarter of the actual traffic.

Driving Licenses are a joke...... When drivers even bother to get one.
Ditto for insurance.

It's not for lack of laws--- God knows we have enough of those---- but lack of enforcement.
50% of DR drivers would be banned from driving in any modern country.
Add to that, that 50% of motor vehicles---probably more, actually --- would be destroyed in any modern countries. More like 90% of motorbikes, even new-out-of-the-shop wouldn't be deemed road worthy.


How does the DR government change this ? Without a civil uprise, it can't. Simple as that.
It would take decades to set everything right, smoothly without a revolution. And since every election everything is reset to 0, not going to happen.

Let the Carnage continue !!

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

Let the Carnage continue !!

I'm confused, you're saying let the death on the highways continue as if this is some sick celebration in your head? Idk maybe that's your sense of humor. There are many members of this board with family on the roads here everyday.

 

[malko]

I'm confused, you're saying let the death on the highways continue as if this is some sick celebration in your head? Idk maybe that's your sense of humor. There are many members of this board with family on the roads here everyday.

I am saying the government can force hundreds of thousands of Dominicans off the roads overnight because no DL, unsafe vehicles, etc, etc.....
OR
The government will do nothing--or next to nothing--and the Carnage will continue .

 

[cavok]

Trucks seem to get an automatic pass at these road check points. I don't think I've ever seen one pulled over. Plenty of cars and motorbikes, but no trucks - not even the ones with no lights, fenders, or hoods.

 

[Radical]

I am saying the government can force hundreds of thousands of Dominicans off the roads overnight because no DL, unsafe vehicles, etc, etc.....
OR
The government will do nothing--or next to nothing--and the Carnage will continue .

Your statements were very clear from the get go and most readers with common sense would follow them without any non-sense inquiries- in short, excellent ways to expose the driving reality in the DR, never mind the pesty comments.

 

[Radical]

Trucks seem to get an automatic pass at these road check points. I don't think I've ever seen one pulled over. Plenty of cars and motorbikes, but no trucks - not even the ones with no lights, fenders, or hoods.

99.9% of trucks and most vehicles in the roads aren't deemed to be able to drive and never mind to pass a mechanical/safety inspection - these trucks are as scary as Chucky to say the least

 

[cavok]

99.9% of trucks and most vehicles in the roads aren't deemed to be able to drive and never mind to pass a mechanical/safety inspection - these trucks are as scary as Chucky to say the least

The DR won't let you import a car more than 5 years old regardless of how good condition it's in because they want only nice, newer cars, yet the roads are full of wrecks, junk heaps, and jalopies.

 

[reilleyp]

Correct me if I am wrong, and I am occasionally, when the courts start allowing multimillion dollar pain and suffering damages for every accident then things will change. Right now it seems the insurance companies are content with just paying claims for damage to vehicles and property. Money talks. How much money does an insurance company pay out for a 65 year old triaxle with 9 million miles on it?

 

[cavok]

As little as possible.

 

[reilleyp]

Correct me if I am wrong, and I am occasionally, when the courts start allowing multimillion dollar pain and suffering damages for every accident then things will change. Right now it seems the insurance companies are content with just paying claims for damage to vehicles and property. Money talks. How much money does an insurance company pay out for a 65 year old triaxle with 9 million miles on it?

 

[slowmo]

It's not for lack of laws--- God knows we have enough of those---- but lack of enforcement.

It is almost like the speedbumps aren't doing their job of enforcing the rules.

 

[Notengo]

The DR won't let you import a car more than 5 years old regardless of how good condition it's in because they want only nice, newer cars, yet the roads are full of wrecks, junk heaps, and jalopies.

The thing is cars are very expensive here, even old beaten ones so they are used untill the last wheel falls off. And I guess demand is greater than supply.

 

[Radical]

Things so excruciating to deal with in the DR:

1. Driving
2. Banking
3. Tigeraje

 

[Radical]

The thing is cars are very expensive here, even old beaten ones so they are used untill the last wheel falls off. And I guess demand is greater than supply.

Things have gotten out of control because of the fact that people whom have never had a bicycle in the past now days have access to drive a vehicle without any experience on the roads whatsoever - animals on wheels!