Faride Raful urges road safety after fatal La Altagracia crash

Santo Domingo.- Minister of the Interior and Police, Faride Raful, expressed deep regret over the recent accident in La Altagracia, which left multiple dead and injured. Preliminary investigations indicate the crash was caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol, prompting Raful to call for national awareness and reflection on road safety.

Raful announced that, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health, a mental health protocol is being designed to detect situations that could lead to violence, abuse, or family tragedies. The system would flag cases such as assaults, rape, or gunshot and knife injuries to allow police preventive intervention. She emphasized the importance of preventive work in schools and timely reporting of potential risks to educational centers.

Regarding traffic safety, Raful reported a 54% reduction in accidents between June and July on the 6 de Noviembre Highway, thanks to enhanced preventive measures by the Joint Task Force. Despite improvements, she warned that young drivers, illegal crossings, and illegal racing remain major risk factors. Coordinated efforts by Digesett, the National Police, and Comipol have led to the seizure of motorcycles used for illegal racing, preventing further accidents.