Motorcyclists account for between 70% and 80% of traffic fatalities

Santo Domingo — Motorcyclists account for between 70% and 80% of traffic accident deaths in the Dominican Republic, Rafael Tejeda Baldera, head of Communications and spokesperson for the General Directorate of Traffic Safety and Land Transportation (Digesett), said on Saturday.

The official made these statements during the seminar “Causes and effects of deaths from traffic accidents,” organized by the National Central of Unified Transporters (CNTU).

Human factor, vehicle, and road

During his presentation, Tejeda Baldera explained that the vehicle, the road, and the driver are the three elements involved in traffic and can influence the occurrence of an accident.

He pointed out that the human factor is crucial, since the driver‘s physical and emotional conditions, such as fatigue, exhaustion, stress, and drowsiness, can affect their ability to drive safely.

He also warned about the risks of being distracted by cell phones, exceeding speed limits, reckless driving, or driving under the influence of alcohol, certain medications, or drugs.

The second element is the vehicle. In that regard, the colonel emphasized that the lack of inspection and maintenance of automobiles is one of the problems affecting road safety.

He said each driver must take responsibility for checking their vehicle’s condition, without waiting for authorities to inspect it and take preventive measures.

“Let’s not wait for official institutions to determine the starting point for a vehicle inspection. That starts with you,” he said.

The Digesett spokesperson stressed the importance of individual responsibility and prevention in efforts to reduce road accidents and deaths.

He added that people should pay attention to the condition of their tires, lights, windshields, and other vehicle parts. They should also check their engine fluids to avoid road problems that could lead to accidents.

The last factor is the infrastructure, or roads, where vehicles circulate. 

He explained that it includes factors such as poor lighting, poor asphalt conditions, and inclement weather, such as rain and fog. These external conditions can contribute to an accident.

Most accidents happen due to human error.

The presenter shared a fact about who bears the greatest responsibility for accidents:

Of the three factors, the human has  96% of the responsibility because the vehicle depends on the human being and, faced with adverse road conditions, infrastructure, or environment, the driver must take corrective measures.

“Look how I put it: 96% of the responsibility for accidents lies with the human factor ,” he said.

Economic burden on the State

He indicated that traffic accidents go beyond the deaths and injuries they cause, as they also generate an economic burden for the State , in addition to representing a great challenge in terms of road safety and for the public health sector.

“I understand that, for a long time, we have viewed traffic, mobility, transportation , and road safety as something external. As long as we continue to see them that way, no one will take action or take ownership of this issue,” said Colonel Baldera.