The National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (Intrant) has announced it will be enforcing the newly released Technical Regulation on the Approved Standard for Personal Protective Helmets. The measure, which is now mandatory nationwide, dictates the specific type of safety-certified helmet that must be used by both motorcycle riders and passengers across the country.
The Intrant says the move is grounded in Article 157 of Law 63-17 and Decree 256-20 and has received significant international and domestic validation. The new rule ensures that all motorcycle helmets imported and sold domestically meet globally recognized safety standards, thus guaranteeing maximum protection for users.
The move needs to be implemented by the Ground Traffic and Transit Agency (Digesett). Over the years, the Digesett agents seem to uphold separate traffic codes, one for vehicles and another for motorcyclists. The defacto order adhered to by Digesett for decades has been to let the motorcyclists be.
Talk show hosts this week have questioned the announcement to implement the helmet regulations, highlighting that for decades the measure to use helmets has been in the law but has been ignored by Intrant and the government entity in charge of enforcing it, the Digesett. Some speculate there could be a good business deal behind the announcement. If implemented, this will mean millions in sales for those selling the helmets. The reality is that so far, outside of Greater Santo Domingo, very few motorcyclists wear helmets. And in Greater Santo Domingo, thousands do not wear helmets that meet the new requirements and would be required to purchase new helmets.
While the laissez-faire on behalf of Digesett agents in charge of enforcing traffic rules is the norm, today motorcyclists are involved in more than 80% of traffic accidents resulting in deaths.
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Intrant
Diario Libre
19 November 2025