On average between 180 and 220 patients are treated daily in the emergency service at the Dr. Darío Contreras Trauma Hospital in eastern Santo Domingo. Of these, 72% are people injured riding motorcycles and the rest are divided between various traumas and fights.
The public hospital’s director, Dr. César Roque Beato told Listin Diario that most of the patients injured in motorcycle accidents are persons 15 to 30 years old.
He says the hospital admits 20 to 30 patients a day at a high cost to the government. He said the patients cost about RD$300,000 to RD$1 million if the patient requires intensive care.
Listin Diario also reports that at the Cabral y Báez public hospital in Santiago on average 22 motorcyclists injured in traffic accidents are assisted. The report says most arrive under the effects of alcohol. Dr. Tomas Almonte, director of the regional medical center, said polytraumas are the most frequent in emergencies, accompanied by abdominal, long bone and craniocerebral traumas, due to the lack of use of the protective helmet. He said: “There is no culture of wearing helmets in the country.”
Listin Diario is carrying out a series of reports on the high cost of medical care for those injured in motorcycle accidents. In most of the cases, if the law had been complied with, these accidents and the traumatic injuries could have been prevented.
The authorities in the Dominican Republic are lax in enforcing laws when dealing with motorcyclists. Only in the capital city do motorcyclists wear protective helmets.
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Listin Diario
29 February 2024