Someone dies every two hours on Dominican roads

[Dolores]

The headline might seem harsh, but readers already know that the Dominican Republic is perhaps the most dangerous place to drive in the Western Hemisphere. According to Dr. Julio Landrón at the Ney Arias Trauma Hospital in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic will finish with about 4,000 traffic fatalities this year. And this in a year of lockdowns and Covid-19 curfew. The total traffic accident deaths compares to around 2,700 Covid-19 deaths for all of 2020.

There are exactly 8,760 hours in a year, so this averages out to a road death every two hours or so. In the Dominican Republic, there are more deaths attributed to traffic accidents than to cancer or cardiovascular issues. Eleven people per day, on average, die on the roads.

Something so simple as “buckling up” can save 38% of the fatalities. Motorcyclists using safety helmets will further reduce the death toll. Dr...

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[badpiece33]

Maybe we should ban vehicles instead of ridiculous curfews

 

[CristoRey]

STOP signs at every intersection folks.

 

[josh2203]

STOP signs at every intersection folks.

Before this people need to start actually respecting traffic signs... The funniest thing I have seen is motores/vehicles going the wrong direction on a one-way street and then using their horn to get their way... That is when the one-way street is also one-lane...

 

[bob saunders]

When I stop at a red light in Jarabacoa I have numerous motos keep on going. When the light turns green sometimes I have wait for three or four vehicles going through the red before I can go. I don't think a stop sign will stop too many of them. They also go the wrong way on most one way streets. This is just pure don't give fuck unless AMET fines them.

 

[CristoRey]

No doubt.
You can lead a blind Dominican to water but you can not make it drink.
(my apology in advance to any of you science deniers for my lack of PC gender pronouns. I'm oldschool southern and don't to 2 shits about your feelings)

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

Every time I stop at a light or a rare stop sign, there is always a nervous glance into my mirror to see what the yahoo behind me plans to do traveling at light speed? Within a fraction of a second when the light turns green, someone is tooting their horn. It's not like I have fallen asleep I too usually have to wait a bit for the intersection to clear or to determine if the cross traffic is going to stop for their red. I know the motos turning right will just peel out in front of me without looking. What really startles me though is when I'm stopped at a light and their is only about two feet between me and the curb and another moto blows by me on the right doing 60. Surprised there isn't a traffic death every hour here.

 

[CristoRey]

Every time I stop at a light or a rare stop sign, there is always a nervous glance into my mirror to see what the yahoo behind me plans to do traveling at light speed? Within a fraction of a second when the light turns green, someone is tooting their horn. It's not like I have fallen asleep I too usually have to wait a bit for the intersection to clear or to determine if the cross traffic is going to stop for their red. I know the motos turning right will just peel out in front of me without looking. What really startles me though is when I'm stopped at a light and their is only about two feet between me and the curb and another moto blows by me on the right doing 60. Surprised there isn't a traffic death every hour here.

I hope you are wearing a mask while you drive, especially in traffic as
you could easily be infecting (heaven forbid you catch the flu) all of
those people who pull up to close at the next red light or stop sign.

 

[josh2203]

When I stop at a red light in Jarabacoa I have numerous motos keep on going. When the light turns green sometimes I have wait for three or four vehicles going through the red before I can go. I don't think a stop sign will stop too many of them. They also go the wrong way on most one way streets. This is just pure don't give fuck unless AMET fines them.

Once a good while ago, my wife had to take a motoconcho quickly, the guy got pissed off when my wife told him that if you go on red light, you can just leave me right here... That's called good service... Then when you try to cross an intersection with a green light and almost hit a moto coming behind a red light, they make nice hand gestures as obviously it's your fault if something happens...

 

[chico bill]

The rule should be people almost hit by motos running lights is you are allowed to cold-cock them with a 3/4" steel pipe.

 

[CristoRey]

Once a good while ago, my wife had to take a motoconcho quickly, the guy got pissed off when my wife told him that if you go on red light, you can just leave me right here... That's called good service... Then when you try to cross an intersection with a green light and almost hit a moto coming behind a red light, they make nice hand gestures as obviously it's your fault if something happens...

Typical peacock moment.
Whoever fluffs the feathers most wins.

 

[Son of a sailor]

the driving exhibited by the locals is always the biggest shock to tourist and new expats. it freaked me out the first time i saw it.
have your insurance, drive defensively, and keep your head on a swivel....you'll get used to it too...

 

[NanSanPedro]

But yet as a pedestrian, I'm truly unafraid. Drivers respect pedestrians and bicyclists. They allow them to go slow until they can pass safely. I've only been hit once and that was incredibly minor, no more than a scratch. I know I walk more than most, so if something bad was going to happen, the odds favor it happening to me.

 

[josh2203]

the driving exhibited by the locals is always the biggest shock to tourist and new expats. it freaked me out the first time i saw it.
have your insurance, drive defensively, and keep your head on a swivel....you'll get used to it too...

I recall my first time driving here like it was yesterday. Being European, it was also the first time in my life I drove a vehicle with automatic transmission. I recall that the rent-a-car brought the vehicle to me and I basically drove shaking to the nearest gas station, my foot firmly on the brake pedal and when I got there, I was really happy I was off the road...

First time I crossed a river (without bridge, so going through the water) going to the campo where my wife's sister's family had a large house: The entire exhaust pipe came off as I tried to be as quick as possible and apparently hit a relatively large rock... It was a quick fix though...

All this was me having a license for about 5 years and 11 years ago...