The headlines called it “deadly speed” on the streets of Santo Domingo, and the participants are the scions of wealthy families. The victims are sometimes innocent bystanders. Avenues such as John F. Kennedy, Anacaona, Churchill and Lincoln are converted into dragstrips and raceways in the late night and early morning hours. Shortly past midnight, Carmen Delia Martinez was struck by one of four cars racing down Lincoln Avenue. She survived, although scarred for life, but Andres Rojas was not so lucky. Leaving his job at 5am on his motorcycle, he was hit by one of three speeding cars at the intersection of Fantino Falco and Tiradentes. Only an eye-witness who fired warning shots avoided all of the cars from fleeing the scene. “The kids were very drunk and tried to leave. One of them escaped but I fired a couple of shots in the air and forced them to take [Rojas] to the hospital,” testified the witness. While street racing used to be clandestine, it is now a popular public event, with spectators hanging from trees and the crossovers to gain a better view of the races. The National Police used to patrol the areas but now say this duty belongs to AMET. Reporter Petra Savinon interviewed sociologist Claudetter Rivas to find out why. According to Rivas, it appears to be a case of “poor little rich kids” and reflects the inability of the government to do anything to put an end to it.