Havana/Despite the almost total paralysis of automotive transport in the country during the first quarter of 2026 due to the fuel crisis1,234 road accidents were recorded on the Island, which left 153 dead and 1,154 injured. Of that total, according to figures released this Tuesday by the National Road Safety Commissionthe state sector continues to be the one with the highest incidence, with responsibility in half of the events, “a behavior that is accentuated in cases with serious consequences, in which its participation reaches 86%.”
In the report, Chetty Carlos Lastre, traffic chief of the General Directorate of the Police, however, blamed the users of motorcycles, mopeds and electric tricycles, used as an alternative for transportation, who were involved in 74% of the mishaps in the country.
Likewise, he reported that, although accidents decreased in all provinces, there was an increase in the number of deaths in territories such as Las Tunas, Sancti Spíritus, Havana, Villa Clara and Guantánamo, compared to the same period last year.
In the report, the head of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, said that the human factor continues to be the main cause of accidents. He added that among the main causes of accidents in Cuba so far in 2026 are lack of attention to driving, disrespect for the right of way and excessive speed.
“In the coming months” – without specifying when – a group of actions aimed at strengthening road safety will be deployed.
For this reason, he announced that, “in the coming months” – without specifying when – a group of actions will be deployed aimed at strengthening road safety, including the implementation of projects linked to the use of means of protection, the implementation of a new homologation process for vehicles, which currently circulate without registration, and the strengthening of driving schools.
The report, as usual, does not make a single mention of the state of the roads in Cuba, which lack sufficient maintenance – denounced time and again by the population as one of the determining causes of the high incidence of accidents – with signaling and lighting problems, which are aggravated during the extensive blackouts that the country suffers practically all day in some areas. The problem has been admitted by the Minister of Transportation himself, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, who recognized at the beginning of 2024 that “deterioration is accumulating” around roads and vehicles.
On average, the trend in deaths is lower so far this year, but the difference is a few dozen cases compared to last year. last year. Last December, the authorities reported that there were 750 deaths in the country (187 on average per quarter), 18.2% more than a year before, when 634 were reported.
The number of mishaps also increased last year, although marginally. At that time, 7,538 accidents were reported, compared to the 7,507 that were recorded in 2024. The same happened with the injuries. Authorities revealed that there were 6,718, 105 more than a year before, with 6,613. In these three areas, the country showed a rebound, after a decline in 2024.
A few days ago, the authorities of Ciego de Ávila They asked not to let our guard down, because although the accident rate showed a decrease, the probability of an accident being fatal or with serious consequences is very high. According to the person in charge of the Provincial Road Safety Commission, Sonia Hernández Talavera, in Ciego de Ávila 67% of the accidents caused injuries and 33% caused deaths. “This confirms a high level of danger in the occurrence of the events,” the official acknowledged.
