Motorcyclists admit they are reckless on the streets
An expert suggests an agency to reduce accidents
Nikaury Arias
SD. The need to deliver vehicle parts to customers obliges, on occasion, that messenger Pedro Hernandez accelerates his motorcycle to cut the delivery time. This young man, 29, the father of a family that lives in the Villas Agricolas barrio in the capital, is aware that if he causes a traffic accident with his reckless attitude, he could suffer bodily injury as a result, or in the worst of cases his death.
The paradox, is that Pedro also recognizes that it is recklessness to do stunts on a motorcycle. He says that the "urging by friends and the adrenaline," that he experiences during holidays incites him to "calibrate" his motorcycle.
"We motorcyclists take more risks than those that go about in a four-wheel vehicle. Many of us are not cautious, we go around recklessly. We lack education on how to drive, because we think the streets are ours," admitted the auto parts salesman.
Young Milandel Peña, a motoconchista (a motorcycle taxi) in the Villa Juana barrio, commented that when a client signals to him, he starts up frantically so that somebody else does not steal his client. "We have to change this way of accelerating. We have to go smoothly, take care of ourselves more, because if we continue like this...."
Besides Pedro and Milandel, motorcyclists Daniel Arias, Robert Alcantara and Frederick Ledesma, admitted that there is a need for highway education in the population in order to reduce traffic accidents.
AMET on the main streets
Agents of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET) agreed that the motorcycle drivers do not respect the traffic laws and drive in a reckless manner.
"The numbers of motorcyclists involved in traffic accidents continues to be high, going over 75% of the total number of accidents that are registered," noted the spokesman of the institution, Diego Pesqueira.
An agency is proposed
The specialist in Highway Safety, Mario Holguin, feels that the country needs a "National Data Agency" that collects the traffic accident statistics. He noted that this should be an autonomous agency that analyzes the data, in order to make recommendations to the government. In this manner, he said, they could implement effective public policies that reduce the number of accidents.
The Dominican Rehabilitation Association reported last Monday that of the 300,000 new patients that arrive each year in the 29 branches of the entity, 62% are persons suffering from multiple injuries because of traffic accidents on motorcycles.
The paradox, is that Pedro also recognizes that it is recklessness to do stunts on a motorcycle. He says that the "urging by friends and the adrenaline," that he experiences during holidays incites him to "calibrate" his motorcycle.
"We motorcyclists take more risks than those that go about in a four-wheel vehicle. Many of us are not cautious, we go around recklessly. We lack education on how to drive, because we think the streets are ours," admitted the auto parts salesman.
Young Milandel Peña, a motoconchista (a motorcycle taxi) in the Villa Juana barrio, commented that when a client signals to him, he starts up frantically so that somebody else does not steal his client. "We have to change this way of accelerating. We have to go smoothly, take care of ourselves more, because if we continue like this...."
Besides Pedro and Milandel, motorcyclists Daniel Arias, Robert Alcantara and Frederick Ledesma, admitted that there is a need for highway education in the population in order to reduce traffic accidents.
AMET on the main streets
Agents of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET) agreed that the motorcycle drivers do not respect the traffic laws and drive in a reckless manner.
"The numbers of motorcyclists involved in traffic accidents continues to be high, going over 75% of the total number of accidents that are registered," noted the spokesman of the institution, Diego Pesqueira.
An agency is proposed
The specialist in Highway Safety, Mario Holguin, feels that the country needs a "National Data Agency" that collects the traffic accident statistics. He noted that this should be an autonomous agency that analyzes the data, in order to make recommendations to the government. In this manner, he said, they could implement effective public policies that reduce the number of accidents.
The Dominican Rehabilitation Association reported last Monday that of the 300,000 new patients that arrive each year in the 29 branches of the entity, 62% are persons suffering from multiple injuries because of traffic accidents on motorcycles.
Nikaury Arias
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