The Dominican Republic is confronting a severe road safety crisis as official statistics reveal persistently high traffic fatality rates, with conflicting data between government agencies highlighting the complexity of the problem.
According to the National Statistics Office (ONE), the country recorded an annual average of 1,728 fatal traffic accidents at the scene between 2020-2024, resulting in approximately 8,639 deaths. However, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) reports a significantly higher figure of 10,139 traffic-related fatalities during the same period.
The data reveals a troubling upward trajectory in road deaths since 2022. Death certificates document 1,638 fatalities in 2020, rising to 1,846 in 2021, then climbing to 2,079 in 2022, 2,204 in 2023, and reaching 2,372 deaths in 2024. The alarming trend continues into 2025, with the JCE civil registry already recording 2,096 traffic fatalities this year.
A critical distinction in data collection methodology explains part of the discrepancy between agencies. The ONE figures primarily capture immediate fatalities at accident scenes, while cases where victims initially survive but later succumb to injuries in medical facilities are categorized under different causes of death.
Motorcyclists emerge as the most vulnerable demographic, accounting for a staggering 70.48% of all traffic accident fatalities. Pedestrians represent the second-most affected group, comprising 13% of total deaths.
Historical data analysis identifies four peak periods in traffic fatalities over the past decade and a half: 2010 (1,959 deaths), 2016 (1,804 deaths), 2019 (1,876 deaths), and 2024 (2,372 deaths according to JCE records). These statistics, compiled with information from the General Directorate of Traffic and Land Transport Safety, underscore the urgent need for comprehensive road safety interventions in the Dominican Republic.