The director general of the National Transport Office (OTTT), Hector Mojica said that this country cannot continue allowing drivers who hit and kill people to get away with it and the director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), General Juan Manuel Mendez has publicly asked National Congress to speed up the process to change the traffic law. The law establishes that the maximum penalties for anyone who unintentionally causes death by driving is five-year prison sentence and a fine of RD$8,000. The driver could have their license suspended for at least two years or even permanently.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and as reported in El Dia, the Dominican Republic is in second place in the world when it comes to the number of road traffic deaths per capita, with a rate of 41.7 for every 100,000 inhabitants. First place goes to the tiny Pacific island nation of Niue, with a rate of 68.3. Thailand is in third place with 38.1 and Venezuela in fourth with 37.2.
At a continental level, Africa leads with a rate of 24.1 per 100,000 inhabitants and Europe is the lowest at 10.3.
According to WHO the five main factors that contribute to traffic deaths are driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, not using a seat belt, not using a helmet and no child seats for children.
Although the Dominican Republic does have traffic laws, they are not enforced and there is disorder in the institutions that are supposed to regulate traffic.
There have been calls for the laws to be changed and for all the agencies involved to be unified, which has led to the establishment of a new umbrella body, the National Transit and Transport Institute (INTT).
INTT would bring together the Metropolitan Transport Authority (Amet), the Technical Ground Transport Office (OTTT), the General Ground Transport Office (DGTT), the Transport Reorganization Office (Opret), the local government mayors, the Ground Transport Development Fund (Fondet), the Motor Vehicles Department at the tax office, the Metropolitan Bus Services Office (OMSA) and the taxi regulatory organization (CART).
www.eldia.com.do/nacionales/2013/4/9/111588/RD-es-segundo-pais-con-mas-muertes-por-accidentes-de-transito-en-el-mundo