A study on traffic accidents lists Mérida as one of the six Mexican cities with the highest number of traffic accidents and dangerous intersections….
MERIDA — The streets with the highest risk — and therefore, where the greatest number of accidents occur — are in Mexico City, state of Mexico, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Chihuahua and Mérida.
In that study carried out among clients of the insurance company AXA from 2014 to 2016, it is indicated that Mérida, Valladolid and Tizimín are the Yucatecan cities with the highest number of traffic accidents.
(PHOTO: infolliteras.com)
In Mérida, it is indicated that the streets and avenues of the north and the west are the most dangerous and, according to statistics, the intersections of greatest incidence are the roundabout of the Monument Justo Sierra, Paseo de Montejo, which records 30 accidents per year (three per month) with average damages of 14,000 pesos per mishap; the glorieta (roundabout) La Mestiza, by Francisco de Montejo, with two collisions a month and damages of 10,000 pesos; and Prolongación Paseo de Montejo at Avenida Chamber of Commerce, with an equal number of accidents and average cost of 17,000 pesos.
The study points out that these mishaps are only from AXA reports, and the number of accidents would be greater if all insurers disseminated their data on those events.
Data from the National Accident Prevention Council (Conapra) report an average of 5,836 collisions between vehicles in Yucatan, which killed 280 people, 94 pedestrians, 34 cyclists, 96 motorcyclists and the remaining 56 occupants of cars.
It was also reported that in the country only 30% of vehicle owners maintain auto insurance against accidents and in Yucatan coverage is 35%, a very low percentage if it is considered that the state has 674,000 vehicles.
In the face of a growing number of accidents, 94% of them are caused by human factors such as distraction, cell phone use and driving while drunk, AXA will broadcast on its website the most dangerous roadways in the cities it monitors, including Mérida. This will alert drivers to where in the city they should take precautions to avoid accidents.
They also showed a map of Merida showing dozens of yellow, orange and red dots. The first one showed points where there were minor accidents, the second was due to accidents with the greatest consequence in damages and the third where there were injuries or deaths.
The intention of the dissemination of data on accidents and intersections of greatest danger is to reduce accidents.
Representatives of AXA, Maryhann Garcia and Daniela Zepeda, asserted that traffic accidents are a serious public health problem and the second cause that generates orphanhood.
The head of the Mérida office of Axa Seguros, Maryhann García Castro, pointed out that last year Axa registered in the whole Yucatecan territory 2,500 accidents; so that if, on average, each incident registers expenses for 14 thousand pesos, there is an economic loss for 35 million pesos per year.
HIGHLIGHTS
Insurance Compulsory
The law of transit requires that every automobile must have a vehicle insurance policy.
Lack of law enforcement
Insurer AXA says it is lacking to enforce existing laws, a greater empathy of the owners of automobiles and make them aware that an accident can generate huge expenses.
Factors
94% of the accidents are due to human causes.
Sources: sipse.com; yucatan.com.mx
