Cuban authorities warn of increase in traffic accidents and victims

 HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 7 (ACN) At the end of September, the number of traffic accidents in Cuba, and the deaths and injuries resulting from them, had a tendency to increase compared to 2020 and 2021, reported authorities of the General Directorate of the National Revolutionary Police.

Colonel Roberto Rodriguez Fernandez, head of the specialized Traffic Department of such body, told Granma newspaper that 7,302 accidents, 507 deaths and 5,498 injured were reported, with an increase of such indicators in all provinces of the country.

Havana, Ciego de Avila, Guantanamo and Artemisa are the most affected provinces, and in the case of Mayabeque, one person dies every six accidents, making it the most dangerous territory.

As the main cause of the accidents, the director pointed to not paying due attention to the driving of the vehicle, followed by not respecting the right of way, speeding, technical malfunctions of the vehicles, pedestrian violations and the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

In pedestrian collisions, drivers are responsible 41.7 % of the cases, and this type of events generates in the country, on average, one fatality for every seven accidents.

In spite of the actions taken by the Ministry of Agriculture ( MINAG), there has been an increase in the number of accidents involving loose animals on the roads, and as a consequence, the number of deaths has increased, although the number of injured has decreased by eight.

Colonel Rodriguez Fernandez indicated that so far the number of accidents is lower than in 2018 and 2017, but this should not generate complacency, due to the differences due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.