PINAR DEL RIO, January 14 (Víctor Rolando Arroyo, UPECI /
www.cubanet.org) - Two serious traffic accidents a day was the average during
2001 in Cuba's westernmost province of Pinar del Río. Many observers
blame the deteriorated state of the roads in the province.
According to the report, there is a highly dangerous spot for every 45 miles
or road, and the average is one accident for every one-and-a-half miles of road.
Although authorities usually blame loss of vehicle control as the principal
cause of accidents, motorists here constantly criticize the state of the roads,
many of which have been in use for dozens of years and generally lack proper
signalization. There are also curves with poor visibility which complicate
vehicle circulation.
Other aggravating factors are lack of guardrails, vehicles without lights,
and no advance information about unexpected elements, such as cattle on the
roadway.
There is also an increase in heavy vehicles, wider than the traffic lanes,
which travel at high rates of speed.
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original en español
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