The more than 3,000 traffic accidents registered in Cuba between January and April of this year caused the death of 243 Cubans and left 2,300 injured, confirmed the National Road Safety Commission.
According to data disseminated this wednesday Cuban News Agency (ACN)Sunday is the deadliest day of the week in terms of deaths from accidents, followed by Thursday and Friday, while from noon to 6:00 p.m. it is the time most prone to the occurrence of these accidents.
On average, two Cubans died every day and 19 were injured in a traffic accident in the first four months of 2023.
These figures are given in the midst of a severe fuel crisis that has paralyzed a large part of public and private transport. The plummeting supply of hydrocarbons has significantly reduced the circulation of vehicles on the streets and highways of the Island and forced drivers to spend long hours, or days, in line at service centers.
Accidents due to the terrible conditions of the streets, with potholes or cracks, are becoming more frequent, but the road authorities assure that this cause affects only 7.2% of the accidents reported in the first four months of the year and “they did not constitute their origin”, justified the ACN in your note. 92.8% of the events occurred due to collisions with moving vehicles, he alleges.
Accidents due to the terrible conditions of the streets, with potholes or cracks, are becoming more frequent, but the road authorities assure that this cause affects only 7.2% of the accidents
The authorities attribute the main causes of the accidents to the invasion of the opposite lane and the lack of attention in driving. Mechanical damage, speeding and driving the vehicle under the influence of alcoholic beverages are also added.
The Commission held drivers and bystanders responsible for “being the authors” of 89% of the accidents and 94% of the deaths. The ages of the fatalities range from 31 to 55 years, and the majority of cases correspond to the provinces of Cienfuegos, Havana, Holguín and Matanzas.
At the end of last year, 700 people died in the 9,848 car accidents registered on the Island, which represented an increase of 18% compared to those killed in 2021, while the number of accidents increased by 17%.
In 2022, accidents left 7,547 injured, 28% more than the previous year, and 22% of deaths correspond to pedestrians being run over, the Police Traffic Division assured the official press.
One of the most serious accidents this year occurred at the beginning of May in San Antonio del Sur, Guantanamo, in which four people lost their lives, including the parents of twin babies just 10 months old. One of the girls escaped unharmed while her sister, Aimara Rodríguez Heredia, was found or seriously injured and had to undergo surgery. This week, the official press assured that the minor is in recovery and that she was transferred to intermediate care.
________________________
Collaborate with our work:
The team of 14ymedio He is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for accompanying us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time making you a member of our newspaper. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
