Interior & Police Minister Faride Raful reported last week that the accumulated homicide rate since January 2025 stands at 7.79 per 100,000 inhabitants. Notably, 18 territories have a homicide rate below ten, with four regions reporting zero homicides.
But, the epidemic of tragic traffic accidents continues. March concluded with a grim toll on the nation’s roads, as 254 lives were lost in traffic accidents, according to the Ministry of Interior and Police, Diario Libre reported. A concerning 75.2% of these fatalities involved motorcyclists.
Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful released the figures following a meeting of the Joint Task Force on Monday, 31 March, led by President Luis Abinader. Minister Raful appealed to the public to exercise greater caution and responsibility on the roads to prevent further tragedies amidst the country’s ongoing road safety crisis.
The data reveals that a total of 1,918 traffic incidents occurred nationwide during March, resulting in the reported 254 deaths.
In response to the alarming statistics, Minister Raful announced that the Transit Safety and Land Transportation Agency (Digesett) is being reinforced with additional officers to enhance street surveillance and improve enforcement.
The minister emphasized the continuation of public awareness campaigns aimed at promoting responsible driving habits.
Meanwhile, the director of the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (Intrant), Milton Morrison, presented a series of proposed amendments to Law 63-17 aimed at bolstering road safety and accident prevention.
Key proposals include a more stringent procedure for traffic violators who fail to pay fines on time, potentially leading to the suspension of their driver’s license with judicial authorization.
Furthermore, an extension of the statute of limitations for traffic violations from one to five years has been suggested to ensure that sanctions are applied effectively and that offenders do not evade penalties due to the passage of time.
Intrant also proposed stricter enforcement of cargo transportation regulations, with harsher penalties for vehicles exceeding weight or size limits, which are identified as major contributors to accidents and damage to road infrastructure.
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Diario Libre
7 April 2025