According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015 recently released by the World Health Organization, the Dominican Republic is a global leader with 29.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Over the past three months alone, 421 people have been killed in traffic accidents, including 42 on the Bavaro, Veron and Punta Cana roads.
The report is based on information from 180 countries.
As reported in El Caribe, in addition to the huge human tragedy, the high rate of injuries also comes at a high cost to the state. It is estimated that the government spends US$700 million per year on medical care for road accident victims.
In fact, traffic accidents are the main cause of death in the Dominican Republic.
In 2014, according to the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET), 1,855 people were killed and 10,152 injured. Most accidents occured in Santo Domingo province (Santo Domingo East), Santiago, La Vega, San Cristobal and the National District.
The report mentions distracted driving (drink driving, mobile phone use when driving), increase in number of motorized vehicles, roads unsafe for pedestrians or cyclists, a three out of ten level of traffic law enforcement (including a two out of ten level of national drink-driving law enforcement), circulation of unsafe vehicles, lack of use of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and child restraints as the main causes of this alarming situation.
In the Dominican Republic country profile, in the institutional framework category, no national road safety strategy is mentioned. In the safer roads and mobility section, it is stated that there are no regular inspections of existing road infrastructure, no policies to promote walking or cycling, no policies to encourage investment in public transport, and no policies to separate road users or protect vulnerable road users. In the safer vehicles section, a total registered vehicles for 2013 is given at 3,215,773, of which 1,415,991 are cars and four-wheeled light vehicles and 1,678,979 are motorized two- and three-wheelers, with only 81,660 buses. The WHO estimate for road traffic fatalities is estimated at 3,052, or 29.3 rate per 100,000 inhabitants. The estimated percentage of GDP lost due to road traffic accidents is 2.2.
RD mantuvo récord en accidentes tránsito y aumento de tapones
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/en/
http://www.grsproadsafety.org/our-knowledge/safer-road-users/vulnerable-road-users