At the end of last week, thousands of procrastinating motorcycle owners lined up outside the Traffic and Transportation Safety (Digesett) offices to get their bikes registered. As of Friday, 15 July 2022, if the motorcycle was not registered it could be seized if circulating on city roads. The owner would be compelled to pay a fine and go through the arduous process of recovering the bike. For the bike to be returned, the owner will have to get it registered.
To facilitate registration, last year the government authorized a fast-tracked and low-cost procedure for those driving unregistered bikes to regularize the status of the bikes. The fast-tracked license, nevertheless, is specific to one particular motorcycle.
On two previous occasions, extensions were granted. Now it is time to pay the Piper. No papers, no cycle.
The media reported on long lines of people forming way before dawn on Friday. There were so many people what took half an hour was taking six hours.
All this is part of a plan launched two years ago (June of 2021) called Citizen Safety. The program seeks to regularize three million motorcycles. But only 602,151 did so in time. Motorcyclists are said to be involved in most traffic accidents and street crimes.
The Tax Agency (DGII) reports that of 5,152,488 vehicles in circulation 5,152,448, 55.8% are motorcycles, or 2,874,590.
Digesett is now requiring motorcyclists in Greater Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Cristóbal, La Romana and San Francisco to use helmets and have a license to drive the motorcycle.
As of Friday, the Digesett agents are enforcing the requirements of Transit Law 63-17 that calls for registration, helmet and license.
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18 July 2022