The Panamerican Health Organization is assisting the Dominican government with its program to reduce traffic accidents. Shrikant Bandiwa, consultant to the World Health Organization and the Panamerican Health Organization was in Santo Domingo for three days consulting with directors of the National Plan for the Prevention of Traffic Death Accidents. In 1997, there were some 3,050 deaths in traffic accidents, up from 2,300 in 1996. These totals do not include persons who die after the accident in hospitals. The Dominican government will invest RD$41 million in educating the population in its attempt to reduce traffic accidents. Recently, Austrian rock music star, Hans Hoelzel died in a traffic accident in Puerto Plata.
