Goverment launches National Road Safety Plan 2025-2030

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader signed Decree 656-24, declaring road safety a national priority and initiating the preparation and implementation of the National Road Safety Plan 2025-2030, with INTRANT as the lead agency. This initiative is supported by a National Pact for Road Safety, which Abinader signed alongside representatives from key sectors, including business associations, transportation groups, and civil society organizations. The pact invites broad collaboration to enhance road safety measures.

Highlighting the urgency of action, the President noted that traffic accidents have claimed 26,257 lives from 2016 to 2024, with weekends and Mondays seeing the most cases. In 2024 alone, 25% of fatalities involved youth aged 25-34, concentrated in urban areas like Santo Domingo, Santiago, and San Cristóbal. With over 121,850 people injured in 2023, the economic toll on the healthcare system reached RD$130,000 million. Abinader emphasized that the National Road Safety Plan will integrate timely and impactful strategies to halve road accident mortality by 2030 and modernize road safety systems.

Key commitments under the plan include promoting knowledge of Law 63-17 on transportation and traffic, strengthening enforcement, advancing road safety education, and fostering public-private collaboration. Specific measures set for 2025 include establishing a traffic accident victim support unit, integrating road safety into school curricula, and rolling out a points-based driver’s license system. Traffic fines will transition to a digital system, ensuring more efficient enforcement. With these reforms, the Dominican Republic aims to embed a culture of safety and accountability in its road networks.