By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Traffic Police reported that during January there were 28 deaths in road accidents. Of which 10 were a motorcycle driver, four drove a car and two drove a bicycle. The remaining 12 were companions on motorcycles or cars and pedestrians.

In addition, of the 28 dead in January, 17 were between 21 and 40 years old.

According to the police report, this number of deaths is less compared to the previous month, December 2019, when 55 people lost their lives in road accidents.

Also, the total is less than the same month of 2019, when 24 people died in traffic accidents.

January 2013 and 2019 were the months with the lowest number of deaths due to traffic accidents, with 24 cases each.

According to the statistics of the Traffic Police, in the last four months of 2019, from September to December, 33 deaths in accidents were recorded on average per month.

According to the main causes of the accidents, the police recorded eight deaths from the opposite line invasion, five from speeding, five from driver reckless and four by pedestrian recklessness.

According to the police, during the last six years, from 2013 to 2019, most of the deaths are related to motorcycle accidents.

The Traffic Police expects that the trend of declining road deaths will continue in the month of February, it said.

In early January, the National Insurance Institute reported the 2019 roads accidents statistics.

Nearly half the people who died in vehicle accidents last year were on motorcycles. According to the statistics provided by the institute last year, 440 people died from traffic accidents. Of this, 49 % were on a motorcycle, which is equivalent to 215 deaths.

Also, 26% of death were in a vehicle crash, 15.6% were pedestrians and 7.1% were cyclists, confirmed Edwin Herrera Arias, executive director of the Road Safety Council.

According to the institute, 1.2 million motorcyclists die every year in the world, while in Costa Rica, 215 died in 2019 and 18,587 more motorcyclists received medical attention due to a traffic accident.

"The most frequent injuries found in these people were in the knees 13%, shoulders 8%, 6% ankles and 4% hands, wrists and legs," said the institute in its statement.

In Costa Rica there are about 37,500 traffic accidents per year, that is to say, 100 daily accidents, which generate about 20,000 annual victims, approximately 54 victims each day. 12% of them have serious wounds, said the institute.

In 2019, the institute reported investing $94.8 million in the care of traffic accident victims. "These services were paid through the obligatory automobile insurance and include medical care, payment of disabilities, rehabilitation, orthopedic implements, compensation to relatives of the deceased, expenses attributable to claims and others."

Intending to reduce the number of traffic accidents, especially those involving motorcyclists, the institute developed an advertising campaign.

Under the motto: "Prevention is not fashion, it is a lifestyle," the institute launched an awareness campaign to reduce deaths and injuries suffered by motorcyclists in traffic accidents.

"We must raise our voice and generate strong actions that allow us to formalize this frontal fight against traffic accidents," said Elian Villegas president of the institute.

Officials called on the entire population, but especially motorcycle drivers, on the need to drive with caution.


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