The high cost of reckless driving

[NewsWhore]

The DR spent more than RD$1 billion in medical expenses at public hospitals, up from RD$392 million in 1995, on assisting 410,000 people who were affected by traffic accidents last year, according to a report released by the national Program for the Prevention of Traffic Accidents (Prenat). Nicanor Rodriguez, the program coordinator, seeks to raise public awareness about the high price we are paying for reckless driving. He says that 70% of people who have died in traffic accidents are 15-44 year olds, in the prime of their life. Some 4,300 people died in fatal accidents in 2005, and 16,000 were maimed. Prenat is carrying out driver's educational programs, focusing on motorcycle drivers, as reported in El Caribe. On the subject, Diario Libre adds that Prenat does not include the billions spent on medical expenses at private hospitals and clinics, nor the high cost of vehicle repairs. Rodriguez made the announcement about the perils of local driving to encourage Dominicans to take greater care during the holiday season.

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