El Siglo reports that statistics from the Darío Contreras and Francisco Moscoso Puello public hospitals show that 49% of the 3,280 traffic accidents reported at their emergency rooms involved motorcycle riders. Accident reports show that the imprudence of the drivers, lack of sign posting on streets and highways, and the low level of knowledge of traffic rules and laws, as well as low level of education of the drivers in general are main causes of the accidents. Furthermore, hundreds of Dominicans would not have died if they had been wearing their protective helmets, as established by law. In the DR, hundreds of motorcycle drivers will only use the helmets if it is known that the police is arresting those without it. The Darío Contreras Hospital reported 1,549 motorcycle accidents from January to June 1999.
