EFE/14ymedio, Havana, February 12, 2024 — A traffic crash on Sunday in Bahía Honda, in Artemisa province, left a preliminary count of 28 people injured, one of them seriously, according to state media.
The open truck involved was carrying a group of militants of the Union of Young Communists, who were returning from agricultural work on a sugarcane plantation, according to the local press. Open trucks are commonly used for passenger transport, throughout Cuba.
Five of the injured were transferred to the Comandante Pinares and Nacional hospitals, in the provinces of Pinar del Río and Havana, respectively. So far, the cause of the crash has not been specified.
Since the beginning of 2024, several serious traffic crashes have been recorded on the Island. Deaths from traffic crashes increased by 4% in 2023 (729) compared to 2022 (700), although fewer road crashes were recorded, according to data from the National Road Commission (CNA).
The open truck involved was carrying a group of militants of the Union of Young Communists, who were returning from agricultural work on a sugarcane plantation
In 2023, a total of 8,556 traffic crashes occurred, which represented a decrease of 13% compared to those reported in 2022 (9,848).
The Transportation authorities have pointed out that the poor condition of the roads due to lack of maintenance and the incorporation into the circulation of more than 400,000 mopeds have complicated road safety in the country.
They have also emphasized that among the causes of crashes are drivers who don’t pay attention to controlling the vehicle or respecting the right of way, situations that generated 60% of the crashes, 48% of the deaths and 66% of the injured.
The authorities place less emphasis on the state of the roads and the obsolete vehicles. The official state newspaper Granma recently recognized, although overlooked, the precarious condition of the roads, caused by “the limitations on investments for their improvement.”
According to official data from last July, 75% of the Island’s roads were in regular or bad condition.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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