BY ELINO VILLANUEVA
El Universal
Domingo 22 de enero de 2006
Baja California Sur?s high rate of traffic accidents is related to high numbers of aging cars in bad condition.
LA PAZ, Baja California Sur - The state of Baja California Sur not only has the nation?s highest rate of traffic accidents, it also has the highest
percentage of car ownership at 3.75 people per car. The two problems are connected, say officials, because roads jammed with cars are fertile ground
for accidents.
But Baja California has another related problem: close to 70 percent of all cars in the state are used vehicles imported from the United States. And,
say some, the poor condition of those vehicles also contribute to a lack of road safety.
"As much as we may try to deny it, we are like a huge dumping ground for vehicles from the United States," said Victor Mart?nez, founder of the state
chapter of the Green Party.
"Every year, there are thousands of cars from the United States that are no longer road legal that come into the country, and the tragedy is that
those cars are needed here, because they are cheaper."
According to Miguel Mondrag?n Gonz?lez, head of the Advisory for Accident Prevention, the large number of vehicles on the road and the quality of
those vehicles make residents four times more likely to die in a car accident than people from Tijuana, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Acapulco, and even
Mexico City.
The state has been the national leader in traffic fatalities since 1996.
In addition, statistics from a traffic safety watch group say that between six and seven of every 10 cars in the state are second-hand vehicles from
the United States, and those vehicles have an average age of 10 years upon importation.
Mondrag?n Gonz?lez said that the major problem with these vehicles is that their engines and brakes do not work well, which results in a higher
security risk.
Furthermore, many of these cars are not legally registered in the state and circulate with their expired U.S. license plates.
Mart?nez criticized a decree issued last year by President Vicente Fox that allows Mexicans to import 10- to 15-year-old cars from the U.S. and
Canada.
"Now they even want to send us the cars that were damaged by hurricanes in the southeastern United States," he said, "without hardly giving them any
inspection whatsoever."TMW - 1-23-2006 at 08:14 AM
"[Mondrag?n Gonz?lez said that the major problem with these vehicles is that their engines and brakes do not work well, which results in a higher
security risk.
Furthermore, many of these cars are not legally registered in the state and circulate with their expired U.S. license plates.]"
Why not start an inspection program to make sure the brakes and lights etc work. It appears that the police are not doing their job if a car is being
driven with expired plates. Of course I see expired plates all the time in CA, some near two years old.turtleandtoad - 1-23-2006 at 08:28 AM
One of the things that surprised me about Baja, and especially Baja Sur, was the large number of vehicles with NO plates. I was told that this is
caused by the practice of the police taking the plates of an illegally parked car.
Is this the case? or is there something else going on?vandenberg - 1-23-2006 at 08:56 AM
Most accidents in Baja are due to bad drivers. I have never seen a driving school of any kind and I don't believe most Mexicans ever had a licence.
They just get behind the wheel and start driving , without any training whatsoever, often with dire results. Crosses on all the roads will attest to
that.Don Alley - 1-23-2006 at 10:38 AM
There are other factors. Driver training, or the lack of it, is probably one. And little regard for the rules. Although while many Loreto drivers
don't respect stop signs, I do feel that they tend to be polite and are often willing to yeild the intersection even when they don't have too. But a
four way stop can still be confusing.
Ever see someone pass on blind spots on the highways? Whoa!
Then there are the busses!
Another problem, partly caused by old vehicles, is the wide differences in speed. I've heard that cited as potentially dangerous in the states. Not
only do some of these old vehicles tavel at extremely slow speeds on the highway (they slow down motor home caravans), but other drivers travel at
very high speeds. The two don't mix well.
Let's face it folks, this is a land of dangerous drivers, where even some adults drive like Montana teenagers. So drive carefully, drive
defensively...and to minimize potential losses, drive a 10-15 year old car.Hook - 1-23-2006 at 10:47 AM
Quote:
Of course I see expired plates all the time in CA, some near two years old.
That's REALLY surprising as most all local law enforcement is trained to look for the current sticker on a plate. It conveniently gives them a
"probable cause" reason to pull the car over AND the local agency gets a portion of the penalty. It's a money maker.
There have been a couple times over the years when DMV screwed up getting me my sticker in a prompt manner........and I was pulled over quite
regularly until it arrived.
I think the problem in BCS has to be a combination of bad vehicles and bad drivers. If we assume that the same lack of training exists all over
Mexico, then something else must be at work.Acuity - 1-23-2006 at 10:47 AM
I agree that teh speed differentils are very dangerous. there appear to only be two speeds - dead slow (because the car or truck can't go any faster)
and full speed ahead.
I do, however find it strange that many gringos on vacation here quickly adopt the same "rules" and drive like maniacs and in a manner that would not
be tolerated in tehir home state. Leaving their brains at the border?
The two closest calls here were near collisons with grngo vehicles - one ignoring a stop lighht and teh other overtaking on a blind corner/hillSharksbaja - 1-23-2006 at 12:20 PM
In Mexico one must drive defensively...........and offensively........if you want to live.
We have our own problem here in Oregon. When approaching hills typically a motorist will give the vehicle more gas to compensate for the grade. Not
here, that gas pedal don't move.burro bob - 1-23-2006 at 01:46 PM
Here in San Felipe there has been a huge drop in driver courtesy in the last several years. When I first came here in 94 the only crazy drivers were
drunk gringos. Now there are lots of rude me first drivers, both Mexican and US. I think it has more to do with the congestion on the roads more than
anything. Yeah I know this ain't L.A. with it's freeways, but it is a lot more crowded on the road than it used to be.
The license plate police are in town about once a month. All Mexicans with expired plates get tickets, they don't do any kind of vehicle inspection.
Gringos with expired or non-existant plates are ignored. My Mexican friends don't like the fact that they get stopped and I don't.
As far as driver education goes, they have it here. Mom or dad teaches the kid to drive when they can see over the stearing wheel. It is not unusual
to see a car comming down the road with an adult in the passenger seat and a little kid driving. They always drive real good when they are with mom or
dad. It's when they are by themselves or with friends they want to impress that it gets scary.
The general condition of vehicles here in San Felipe has greatly improved. The are very few rolling wrecks anymore. The used cars being brought in
from the US are a whole lot safer vehicle than you used to be able to find.
burro bobDave - 1-23-2006 at 07:14 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Acuity
I do, however find it strange that many gringos on vacation here quickly adopt the same "rules" and drive like maniacs and in a manner that would not
be tolerated in tehir home state. Leaving their brains at the border?
To be fair, when in the States most Mexicans adopt local driving standards. But they always seem to lose them about 1/8 mile before they cross back.
[Edited on 1-24-2006 by Dave]TMW - 1-23-2006 at 07:38 PM
Back about 1988 we were driving from Ojos Negros to Ensenada and were following a car with dad driving and mom in the passenger seat and a couple of
young kids in the back seat. Every once in a while we saw the kid behind dad pull the back of his hair. Soon we noticed that everytime he did it, it
was because the car was moving to one side or the other. We also saw a tecate beer can on the dash. It was kind of funny but at the same time sad for
what could happen. We passed and went on so I hope they made it where ever they were going.
HUH ??
MrBillM - 1-24-2006 at 01:19 PM
Burro Bob Quote:
Here in San Felipe there has been a huge drop in driver courtesy in the last several years. When I first came here in 94 the only crazy drivers were
drunk gringos.
I first drove down to San Felipe in 1966 and during that time I've seen multitudes of Bad Drivers, Mexican and Gringo, but the vast majority of the
Craziest on the Highway have been native Mexicanos. Their disdain for any signals, signs, rules or regulations are legendary. On numerous occasions,
I have been yelled at and had obscene gestures directed my way for interferring with their abuse of the laws. On one recent occasion, I was driving
through La Puerta at the legal speed and saw school children starting to cross the road ahead so I braked to allow them to cross. The Mexican behind
me roared past, scattering the children and yelled ugly things at me as he drove off. There is something about the native mentality that gives no
quarter to pedestrians.DanO - 1-24-2006 at 02:32 PM
Just like New York.
Just like New York...
eetdrt88 - 1-24-2006 at 08:08 PM
L.A. and about every other place in the world!!! I have driven in about half of the states in the USA and do not recall any place where people on the
road were over friendly or all drivers had a patient and polite manner on the road...if there is such a place please tell me where it is so I can go
and visit this utopian society!! flyfishinPam - 1-25-2006 at 04:07 PM
In Loreto, the Mexican loretanas (women drivers) are the absolute WORST Beyond scary!TMW - 1-25-2006 at 07:38 PM
Lubbock Texas is about the most friendly place to drive I've ever been. If they would just learn how to let off the gas on the overhead bridge exits
from the fwy when there is ice. Lots of slipping and sliding and crashes too. Going down I-27 one day a PU coming down an on ramp in the opposite
direction toward me lost the left front wheel. It bounced across the fwy in front of me and didn't hit anybody, thank goodness.vandenberg - 1-25-2006 at 07:47 PM
According to my family visiting from Holland, our California drivers are the most courteous drivers they ever had encountered. They could not believe,
that at a 4 way stop, everyone actually let everyone cross the intersection in turn..Well, if you've ever driven anywhere in Europe, you'd easily
understand why.Cincodemayo - 1-25-2006 at 07:53 PM
Only in Southern California do you merge into traffic going 85 MPH....while it's bumper to bumper and hope to hell your auto is armored.TMW - 1-26-2006 at 07:12 PM
The Miami area is probably the worst for fwy driving. If you put your turn signal on to change lanes they speed up to block you.TMW - 1-26-2006 at 07:19 PM
Bakersfield is just about the overall worst place to drive. They have absolutely no ideal how to get on a fwy or off or how to change lanes or to stay
out of the fast lane doing 10-15 mph below everyone else. They run every red light they come too. Which may be is the reason they wait a couple of
minutes before taking off at a light. On a two lane road they only speed up after you pass them.
Watching LA drivers in the morning is a real kick. All the goofy things they do on the way to work.
But one time in Lubbock TX, I saw a guy leaving a 4 way stop eating a bowl of cereal.
