Pedestrian And
Motorcyclist Deaths On
the Increase
The rising death rate of
pedestrians and
motorcyclists on the
country's roads has
government officials
concerned and will be
the focus of the "Semana
de Seguridad Vial" (Nationa
Road Week).
Reports indicate that as
of April 20 this year,
107 people lost their
lives in traffic
accidents, 29 of which
were motorcyclists, nine
more than the same
period for 2007.
Pedestrians dying from
being hit by a vehicle
is also on the increase,
as 23 people died in the
first four months of the
year, four more than the
same period in 2007.
At the same time the
number of drunk driver
deaths decreased to 19
for the first four
months of the year, down
from 28 the same period
last year, leading
Tránsito authorities to
believe that their zero
tolerance to drinking
and driving is having an
effect.
Now the goal is for
Tránsito officials to
take the same hard line
attitude towards
pedestrians and
motorcyclists, without
abandoning their efforts
against drunk drivers,
in reducing the number
of deaths, which in most
cases are caused by
carelessness.
According to the
Viceministra de
transportes, Viviana
Martín, the rise in
motorcycle accident
deaths is due to the
fact that many people
have traded in their
four wheel
transportation for two
as the price of gasoline
spirals upwards.
The vice-minister blames
carelessness and risk
taking on the part of
many motorcyclists as
the reason for many of
the deaths, like
travelling between
moving vehicles, driving
on sidewalks and in many
cases riding without a
helmet.
As to the increase in
pedestrian deaths,
Martín blames the
imprudence of many
people who risk dashing
across a busy highway
and not using a
pedestrian overpass a
100 metres away in many
cases, crossing red
lights or dashing out in
the middle of a busy
street just to hail a
taxi or crossing the
front of a stopped bus
at a bus stop, as some
of the careless acts of
pedestrians.
This week, Tránsito
authorities will focus
on a number of
activities to bring home
the point of safety on
the road and according
to Martín will intensify
their road checks,
focusing on motorcycles,
in an attempt to get
them to behave
responsibly.
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