Traffic accidents cost Dominican Republic US$4.1B

Santo Domingo.- FundaRed President Mario Holguín Wednesday said the 14,717 traffic accidents which occurred in the past 36 months, 2011 to 2013 have cost Dominican Republic US$4.1 billion.

He said the costs are assessed from the loss of life and property, medical costs, lives ending their productive capacity, environmental damage, among others. "Every traffic tragedy costs the country 67 times its GDP per capita, because we don’t have a comprehensive plan conceived in a road safety law."

The expert noted that Dominican Republic ranks among the world’s leaders in traffic deaths, with 40.73 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.

Holguin, speaking during the FIA 2014 American Congress being held in the country, said part of the problem is the lack of a legal framework and of an institution in charge of at road safety plan.

In that regard, Dominican Automobile Club president Alvaro Oliver said the country must take corrective actions through driver education that starts from basics, raise the requirements to drive vehicles and develop an aggressive road safety campaign.