A fatal traffic accident in the city of Camagüey resulted in one death and left two others injured, including a minor. The incident transpired on Wednesday evening when two motorcycles collided with a car at the intersection of Carlos J. Finlay and Saratoga avenues.
According to the report from La Hora de Cuba, the motorcycles were reportedly traveling at speeds of "around 120 kilometers per hour" when they crashed into an "American car." The impact was so severe that it blew out one of the vehicle's tires.
The deceased was identified as Guillermo, one of the motorcyclists, who lived in the Puerto Príncipe neighborhood. He was riding with his son, who is currently hospitalized at La Colonia pediatric hospital. The second motorcyclist was also hospitalized and underwent head surgery on Wednesday morning. His current condition remains unknown.
Recurring High-Speed Motorcycle Incidents
Some of our sources in Camagüey have reported that high-speed motorcycle incidents have become a frequent occurrence, a trend that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and has intensified recently, as noted in the report.
In January, Colonel Roberto Rodríguez Fernández, head of the Specialized Traffic Department of the General Directorate of the PNR, stated that motorcycles and mopeds are involved in 44% of the accidents in Cuba.
Recent Accidents Highlight Growing Concern
On November 27, a person died in Havana when a car and a motorcycle collided on San Miguel Road, near Virgen del Camino. The accident involved a Peugeot car and left the motorcyclist fatally injured.
Just days earlier, another serious accident occurred between a jeep and a motorcycle, resulting in at least one death. A witness reported online that the incident happened in the La Maya area of Songo-La Maya municipality when both vehicles veered off a slope after a jeep's tire exploded. Initially, no fatalities were reported, but it was later confirmed that the motorcyclist, a young military officer from Guantánamo, had died.
"My cousin, Álvaro Loyola, an officer in the Frontier Brigade, passed away, along with another young man who was with him, who I believe was also a BF officer," lamented Leandro Martínez Bombalé, a resident of Guantánamo.
Around the same time, a motorcycle collided with a 'gacela' microbus taxi at the busy intersection of 19th and 42nd avenues in the Playa municipality of Havana, due to a non-functioning traffic light. The motorcyclist suffered severe injuries and lay on the street, as shown in a video shared by X user, ASERE YA.
"Cars kept driving by; the video shows how many passed without stopping, both state and private vehicles, ignoring the cries for help until a kind soul took him to the hospital. The ambulance arrived 30 or 40 minutes after he was taken, in vain," the user reported.
Understanding Traffic Accidents in Cuba
What factors contribute to the high rate of motorcycle accidents in Cuba?
High-speed driving, poor road conditions, and inadequate traffic control measures are significant contributors to the frequent motorcycle accidents in Cuba.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected traffic incidents in Cuba?
The pandemic has coincided with an increase in high-speed motorcycle incidents, possibly due to reduced traffic enforcement and changes in transportation patterns during the lockdowns.