During 2022, 230 motorcyclists died on the road, at the accident site, out of a total of 484 deaths recorded. So far in 2023, according to data from the Traffic Police, three people have died at the accident site, two of whom were traveling on a motorcycle and one on a bicycle.
Safety measures
Faced with this situation, Alexander Solano, director of the Traffic Police, reminded motorcyclists and cyclists to wear light-colored or light-reflective clothing, as well as make these means of transport visible with lights and always wear a helmet.
“Unfortunately we see cyclists at night dressed in black and in places where there is no light, or motorized bicycles at considerable speeds; motorcyclists who do not want to understand that, even during the day, when they turn on the light they are easier to see by other drivers,” Solano commented.
Likewise, last year 37 cyclists lost their lives, “hence the call to respect these road actors, overtake them safely, keep a distance of 1.5 meters and not pressure them to pull over,” he added. The director stressed that in remote areas motorcyclists do not use helmets, even when studies indicate that this protective device reduces head injuries by up to 67%.
“Previous December was the month with the most motorcycle deaths, with 27 cases, almost double the number we had in November, when 14 were reported. Previously, it had been March, with 25 deaths, the month with the most motorcycle deaths. Hence our concern and our call, so that we assume more appropriate behaviors, whether as motorcyclists or cyclists, as well as drivers of other vehicles, respecting the Traffic Law and respecting the other road actors with whom we share the roads,” urged. the official.
Speeding is the leading cause of death
The Traffic Police reported that the main cause of death on the road in 2022 was speeding. Specifically, this was the reason for 192 fatalities, that is, 40 of the total. In second place, there is the invasion of lane and in third, the recklessness of pedestrians; very dangerous behaviors on the road, “as people feel more liberated after the measures by Covid-19,” said Solano. For the director, that freedom was misdirected and was reflected in behaviors such as speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol.
