Dr. Héctor Quezada, deputy minister of Public Health for collective health, again has highlighted the high cost of traffic accidents for the country, in an interview with El Caribe reporters. He said that the annual yearly cost of traffic accidents now ranges between 2.3 to 5% of the Gross Domestic Product. He said this total is even more than the sum of RD$60 billion the director of the Ney Arias Lora Trauma Hospital, Dr. Amaury García Silverio, had relayed to the media last week. García pointed out that the cost of traffic accidents to the country is almost comparable to the total RD$75 billion budget allotment of the Ministry of Public Health.
Quezada observed recent efforts by the government, including the creation of the new National Transport and Transit Institute (Intrant) that seek to increase vehicle and transit safety.
Quezada said that in 70% of the road accidents can be attributed to human error. He said that accident victims who spend just a few days in the intensive care unit could incur costs to the State well over RD$500,000.
He said the DR has an average of 29 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, when the global average is 16 deaths per 100,000. The DR is ranked 14th in the world in number of traffic mortalities. This is down from 41 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2013.
In 63% of the deaths, there was a motorcyclist involved. In the DR, the Intrant statistics indicate there are 2.7 million registered motorcycles in circulation. The Intrant is working on a plan to reduce road collisions in the Mobility and Transport Plan to complement the Road Security Strategic Plan.
Quezada said the number of tragic events is so high that the 400 available beds in the three specialized trauma hospitals are insufficient. He said greater road safety awareness among drivers is critical.
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El Caribe
7 February 2018
