Truck drivers are main culprits in Dominican Republic road carnage

Santo Domingo.- A disproportionately high numberof traffic fatalities in the Dominican Republic have a common culprit: Driversof trucks. Talking on the cell phone while driving, using the passing lane andnot using the seat belt, are the main infractions.

Most of those drivers behave irresponsiblysuch as hazardous maneuvers to pass other vehicles, one of the main causes ofhundreds of often deadly collisions.

Outlet listin.com.do reports Wednesday that twodays of observation of Grand Santo Domingo’s main arteries were enough todetermine the irresponsible behavior of many of those drivers.

Long conversations on their cell phones forcesthem to drive their heavy vehicles with one hand, also endangering the lives ofpedestrians and other motorists.

Switching lanes often is another of the dangerousmaneuvers by drivers of heavy vehicles, even when observed by Metropolitan TransitAuthority (AMET) cops.

In addition to fatalities, drivers of heavyvehicles are also behind much of the chaotic traffic which backs up often formiles.

One tractor trailer, 18 deaths

The country’s outrage hit the limit last weekwhen Ronal Parreño Liriano, driver of a tractor trailer caught using the bikeroute on Churchill Av., was confirmed as being the same driver who in July last year caused an accident on the Samaná highway in which 18 passengerson a bus were killed.