As of now, there have been 16 confirmed fatalities in road accidents since the beginning of the summer season, out of an estimated 35 for the period. According to René Flores Ayora, a traffic engineer and vial safety auditor at the National Center for Accident Prevention, most of these incidents occurred among motorcycle riders or pedestrians.
Flores explained that during the vacation season there is a significant increase in both the number of vehicles on the road as well as the frequency of accidents. “The statistics we have are conservative; so far, 16 deaths in traffic accidents have been reported: 13 motorcyclists and three pedestrians. We expect this number to be surpassed by the end of the season,” he said.
He emphasized that excessive speed is the leading cause of these incidents, as many drivers fail to respect posted speed limits or follow safety guidelines such as yielding to pedestrians.
“Speed is the main factor, but also alcohol and imprudence, like talking on a phone while driving or looking at your phone; all this distracts you from the road and demands 100% of your attention,” Flores added.
He noted that in nearly every accident, at least one of these three factors can be found. He highlighted the importance of following speed limits within cities as well as on highways. “In Mérida’s city center and residential areas, there is a 30 km/h limit; outside the city, the speed limit increases to 50 or 80 km/h.”
Regarding the highway, he urged drivers not to get a false sense of security about speeding due to the absence of speed limits.
