[Auto/Moto] The races of death: an activity publicly promoted in the face of the authorities

[EvKirito]

Santo Domingo, RD
In broad daylight, in the middle of the main roads of the country, motorcyclists race at full speed to find out who is the fastest. Around him dozens of people applaud, bet, record and are excited to see the winner of the competition.

Illegal motorcycle races are activities that occur daily on the country's highways and streets, with or without a curfew. But the funny thing is that in the last year, pages have been created on the Facebook social network where videos that have thousands of visits and fans are promoted, scheduled and published.

Despite the fact that illegal motorcycle racing is a reality, the police and traffic authorities seem to be unaware of the public calls and the challenges that riders face on social networks.

Names like Carreras.com, Los Racing VIP RD and Bani Racing Team are just some of the communities on Facebook where these types of races are published without shame, knowing that they are illegal.

His publications are recurring, even several in the same day. The videos show competitions between two motorcyclists or in larger groups. But not only do they violate the speed limits, they also perform stunts and get on the “plank” to show their skills on motorcycles.

Carreras.com is a page that has at least 67,835 fans and was created on April 30, 2015.

Most of the videos do not indicate in which part of the country they are held, but those that do record them show races in Cienfuegos, Santiago; on George Washington Avenue; in San Cristóbal; in Puerto Plata; in Los Mina, also in the National District; in Constanza, La Vega, among others.

The page not only promotes illegal activities, the races of the next few days are also announced, motorcyclists who have their birthday are congratulated and those who have died in illegal races are mourned.

A page with a similar theme is Bani Racing Team which has 115,128 followers on Facebook and was created on June 28, 2013.

Despite having the name of the municipality of the Peravia province, videos are published from different parts of the country and even the website serves as a platform to promote the sale of motorcycles and motor vehicle parts.

 

 

Motorcycle traffic accidents

62.9 percent of deaths in traffic accidents correspond to motorcycles, according to a report that collects information between 2010 and 2016.

In six years 8,533 people died as a result of motorcycle accidents, according to the National Institute of Traffic and Land Transportation (Intrant).

Eighty-seven percent of the victims were male and 13 percent female, the report says.

While the Observatory of Citizen Security of the Ministry of the Interior and Police highlighted that in 2018 68.3 percent of traffic accidents were motorcycles; 2017 obtained 66.6 percent; 2016 67.5 percent; 2015 66.3 percent and 2014 64.4 percent.

On February 24, 2017, the National Congress approved Law number 63-17, on Mobility, Land Transport, Traffic and Road Safety of the National Institute of Transit and Land Transport (Intrant).

The purpose of this Law is to "guarantee the road safety of all people who decide to travel in the available means and modalities of land transport, intervening on risk factors and paying special attention to risk groups and vulnerable users."

In some of the videos published on these pages, it is observed how motorcyclists drink alcoholic beverages at the time of competitions, an action that violates article 256 of Law 63-17, which prohibits driving while intoxicated.

"Persons who violate this provision will be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to five to ten minimum wages of the one that prevails in the centralized public sector and the reduction of the license points determined by the regulation, without prejudice to the provisions relating to the suspension and cancellation of the driver's license ”, indicates article 256.

But not only is the violation of alcoholic beverages mentioned, Article 267 indicates the sanctions for speed competition. "The violation of this provision will be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to five to ten (minimum wages of the one that prevails in the centralized public sector, the penalty of one to three months in prison and the points on the driver's license determined by the corresponding regulation ) ”, The law details.

In the same sense, article 268 talks about the maximum speed limits allowed on the roads and at toll stations.

In the residential urban area, the motor vehicle must be at thirty kilometers per hour and sixty kilometers per hour on the avenues. In rural areas, with a maximum of sixty kilometers per hour.

In the school zone, corresponding to schools, colleges, universities and other educational centers, of twenty kilometers per hour. Likewise, the areas destined for churches and cemeteries are included in this limit.

In tunnels, overpasses and overpasses, you should not exceed sixty kilometers per hour. On roads, highways, and expressways, it will be established by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, without exceeding 120 kilometers per hour.

In illegal races, motorcyclists do not wear a protective helmet to protect themselves against any fall. Carelessness also has a penalty in traffic law.

Article 251 of Law 63-17 indicates that “cyclists, motorcycle drivers and their passengers are prohibited from traveling without being provided with approved protective helmets, reflective vests in the case of motorcycles, and reflective clothing accessories in the case of cyclists.

Motorcycle and bicycle drivers are prohibited from traveling in groups of more than two in parallel, holding onto other vehicles that are in motion on public roads, traveling through tunnels, overpasses and in the opposite direction to traffic ”.

The violation of this provision is sanctioned with a fine equivalent to one to three minimum wages of the one that prevails in the centralized public sector and the points on the driver's license determined by the corresponding regulations.

“When motorcyclists and cyclists travel on cycle paths or in the event of competitions, they may do so in groups of more than two in parallel. However, for competition they must be provided with the permit for activities on public roads, granted by the competent authority and under the protection of the DIGESETT ”, indicates a paragraph of Article 251.

Article 264 specifies that the speed of a motor vehicle must be regulated, taking into account the width, traffic, use and conditions of the public road, therefore it is not allowed to guide at a speed greater than that indicated on the signs. .

The sanction of the violation of this provision is the payment of a fine equivalent to one to three minimum wages of the one that prevails in the centralized public sector and the reduction of the points of the driver's license determined by the corresponding regulation.