Transportation Tips - Haiti Observer Blog

The current rate of road accidents in Haiti has worried officials and organizations. According to the Platform of Haitian Human Rights Organizations (POHDH), at least two accidents occur on national roads every week. These accidents have been blamed on several causes, including overspeeding and drivers' negligence. There are also drivers who take the road even under the influence of alcohol, as well as those who overload and lose control of their vehicles. The poor condition of roads and the lack of proper road signs are also among the main causes of such accidents.

Given this, the POHDH urged the authorities to strictly implement road regulations involving traffic governance, road codes and vehicle inspections. POHDH official Antonal Mortime said that many accidents "could have been avoided" if the authorities have been ensuring that road standards and safety regulations are met.

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Travel by auto on Haiti's roads risks serious injury or death. All National, Department, or County roads are in disrepair from lack of maintenance. Dangerous road conditions and lack of traffic signals and driving principles encourage bad driving habits.

All throughout Haiti, County roads are largely unpaved and littered with potholes. Mountainous roads are particularly perilous, with hairpin turns and an absence of guardrails. Often made of gravel, they can cause a vehicle to slide off the shoulder to death 1,000 feet below.

The government of Haiti (GOH) insists it has no money in its budget to rescue drivers in perilous situations, do clean-up after accidents, or remove stalled autos obstructing traffic. But the GOH's claims are questionable.

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A series of calamities that struck Haiti in the past years has taken a toll on the country's image. Haiti was included in a list of the world's worst places to live in made by consulting firm Mercer. According to the list, Haiti ranked third among the countries with the worst quality of living, just two places behind Iraq. Port-au-Prince was particularly mentioned as a city that does not offer a great quality of life to residents.

When it comes to infrastructure, the capital of Port-au-Prince was number one in the list of countries with worst infrastructure. Mercer cited various contributing factors such as availability and supply of electricity, fresh water and public transportation as the reasons why the country was ranked that way.

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