The Dominican Neurology and Neurosurgery Society urged the government to strictly enforce the nation’s traffic laws. The medical society noted that the failure of motorists to obey the rules of the road has led to many traffic accidents that cause injury and loss of life. The high number of traffic accidents is a major cause of erosion of the quality of life in the country.
Dr. Freddy Flores, president of the Society, speaking at the 27th Congress of the Dominican Neurology and Neurosurgery Society that took place last week in Bávaro said: “The [traffic] exist, but many motorists are simply ignoring them. In fact, the Dominican Republic has some of the most comprehensive traffic laws in Latin America, but the authorities choose not to rigorously apply them.”
Flores said that many involved in accidents are repeat offenders, especially in the case of motorcycle drivers, that have been admitted on several occasions to hospitals. “The law needs to be applied,” he said. He highlighted that traffic accidents are the leading use of impairment and job absenteeism that affects the population in productive age of 20 to 40 years.
“The number of young people with quadriplegic lesions is mindboggling,” he said.
Dr. Flores also called attention to the number of young people ages 15 to 20 years that are affected by work related accidents, many falling from their jobs of harvesting coconuts and avocados.
5 June 2018
