In commemoration every November 15 of the World Day Without Alcoholthe Ministry of Public Health presented statistical data that reveals the relationship between traffic accidents and the consumption of spirits.
During the forumPrimary care in the approach to alcoholdrugs and accidents of transit”it was specified that a person who drives under the influence of alcohol is 17 times more likely to cause a loss.
the director of Collective Health, Jocastia de Jesusindicated that the accidents of transit have become “a major public health problem” due to the number of lives lost associated with the consumption of alcohol and called for prudence, especially for the approaching Christmas season.
De Jesús highlighted that although 87.8% of deaths from accidents caused by the alcohol were men, consumption in women is increasing.
Likewise, the increase in diagnoses of mental disorders that are directly associated with the consumption of alcohol and the development of liver diseases and accidents cerebrovascular.
“Alcohol use affects family dynamics. How is that person knowing that due to his irresponsibility another person lost his life? ”, He asked the audience by way of reflection.
Study at the Dario Contreras Hospital
Likewise, the director of Population Health, Elias Melgenpresented the results of a study carried out at the Darío Contreras Hospital between May and December 2018, where 501 samples were taken from patients injured in accidents and it was determined that 18.9% of them had ingested alcoholic beverages.
67% had moderate to severe consumption. Another interesting fact was that 83.5% of the positives They were the driver in the vehicle. 86.5% of accidents they occurred in engines and 72.7% did not wear a protective helmet or belt, in the case of cars.
25.7% also tested positive for drug use, the cannabis the most predominant.
Premat data
The coordinator of the Morbidity Reduction Program for accidents of Transit (Premat), Sara Acostaspecified that a Sinister is associated with human behavior, while a accident cannot be predicted.
He explained that drinking four glasses of whiskey raises the alcohol in blood to 3.0, increasing the risk of accidents to extreme and a state of deep drunkenness, before the coma.
In 2020, deaths in the country due to accidents roads were 2,711, exceeding the number of deaths from COVID-19, about 2,400.
In 2021, the values amounted to 2,967 and the number of injured was 106,777.
In that same year, 2.8 million accidents in engines, being 71% of the deceased.
The days that more accidents are registered are the Sundays (23.5%), Mondays (16.3%) and Fridays (14%). These usually occur in 33.9% between 6:00 in the afternoon and midnight.
2,967People died in the country throughout the year 2021 in traffic accidents.
Together with the consumption of alcoholthe speeding impair essential functions for safe driving.
“Even in very modest amounts, the alcohol alters the functioning of various processes necessary to travel safely on public roads, such as vision and motor skills,” he explained.
Law 63-17 of Mobility, Land Transportation, Transit and Road Safety of the Dominican Republic prohibits driving in the country while intoxicated, with the blood alcohol limits being 0.5 for driving four-wheeled vehicles, 0.2 for engines and 0 for driving public transport vehicles.
“The legislation is defined, but political will is needed for it to be applied effectively,” claimed Acosta.
Despite the amount of accidents reported, during the year 2021 only 212 offenses against drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Meanwhile, Dianne Bisonó, president of the Fénix Foundation, insisted on the importance of making the population aware of the physical and psychological damage caused by the consumption of alcohol.
