The National Police applied some 24,318 fines related to the main causes of traffic accidents (speeding, lane invasion and drunk driving) between December 5, 2022 and January 1, 2023, the period in which the National Road Emergency Plan was executed. However, the number of accidents was maintained and deaths increased compared to the previous month.
In total there were 3,220 traffic accidents that caused the death of 78 people and left another 204 injuredaccording to a monitoring of CONFIDENTIAL to the weekly reports of the National Police. The number of deaths is 10% higher than those reported in the last four weeks of November, before the authorities announced the plan to reduce road fatalities.
According to the plan, during December they appointed 600 traffic officers, who made permanent 24-hour checkpoints on 75 highway sections where more accidents occur.
This plan sought to “reduce deaths and injuries in traffic accidents and influence road users so that they behave responsibly”, but what it achieved was an increase in the application of fines, according to their own data.
Compared to the two previous years, in 2022 there was an increase in traffic accidents. According to weekly reports, in the last four weeks of 2020, 3,130 accidents and 71 deaths were reported, while in the same period of 2021 there were 3,166 and 79 deaths.
Up to 1250 fines per day
In the first week of execution of the road plan, which runs from December 5 to 11, officials applied 4,502 fines related to the main causes of accidents, 1,846 to motorcycle drivers who did not wear a helmet and 154 to those who drove drunk. Besides, they occupied 204 motorcycles.
In the following week the number of fines increased to 5,206 and the occupation of motorcycles to 381. December 19 to 25 was the week with the highest number of infractions applied, In total there were 8,755 —an average of 1,251 fines per day— and 351 motorcycles were transferred to the vehicle depot.
In the last week, from December 26, 2022 to January 1, 2023, traffic officers applied 5,855 fines and seized 390 motorcycles.
According to the Head of National Traffic, General Commissioner Vilma Reyes, in 94.6% of the sections with police coverage did not have deaths.
At the beginning of December, journalistic reports revealed that the National Police had to add before the end of the year, about 44 million córdobas in fines to reach the goal of 254.14 million projected for 2022.
According to the budget execution report from January to September, the Police collected 210 million córdobas in traffic fines, which represents 82.7% of the total goal. Therefore, the remainder would be collected in the last quarter of 2022.
The number of fines applied prior to the National Road Emergency Plan is unknown because before executing it in December, the data on the infractions applied in the weekly reports was not shared.
2022 was the year with the most deaths from accidents
Nicaragua registers an average of two deaths a day due to traffic accidents. According to the statistical yearbooks of the National Police in 2020, 830 people perished as a consequence, in 2021 it rose to 904 and until December 25, 2022 there were 939 deaths in accidents, to these would be added the 23 deaths that occurred in the last week of 2022: 962 overall.
Traffic accidents are among the first ten causes of death in Nicaraguawhich head, in that order, heart attacks, diabetes, malignant tumors, hypertensive diseases and pneumonia, according to the National Health Map published by the Ministry of Health (Minsa).
While accidents and deaths from this cause are increasing in the country, the payroll and the budget allocation for road safety has also increased, but has not been able to reduce them. In 2018, National Transit had 155 agents and it is estimated that by 2023 it will rise to 650. These will have a budget of 62.89 million córdobas, he explained. the newspaper La Prensa.
However, it is one of the lowest levels of the National Police. More resources are allocated to the protection of personalities than to road safety.
12 dead on New Year’s Eve
A report on the New Year’s Eve and New Year festivities detailed that Between December 31 and January 1, 12 people died due to traffic accidents, seven fewer than last year.
“Ten people were injured and 200 traffic accidents were recorded (…) Of the 12 deceased, five were motorcyclists -including three from the same family-, four pedestrians, two passengers and a cyclist”, said in a conference the deputy chief of the Public Relations Directorate of the National Police, César Cuadra.
The main causes of traffic accidents with victims during the New Year’s Eve festivities in Nicaragua were drunk driving (six deaths), speeding (three) and lane invasion (three).
*With information from EFE
