MAPFRE launches child road‑safety program in Dominican Republic

In Santo Domingo, the Fundación MAPFRE organized a day‑long road‑safety workshop for dozens of children aged five to fifteen. The event taught traffic‑sign recognition, seat‑belt use, speed‑limit compliance and other safe‑driving habits. Elvira Vega, the foundation’s general director, said early education is crucial to reducing the nation’s traffic fatalities, which total 29,924 deaths between 2016 and 2025.

Since the programme began in 2014, MAPFRE reports having reached more than 1.2 million people in the Dominican Republic and continues similar initiatives in 28 other countries. Vega highlighted the importance of engaging parents, noting that children often bring safety messages home, prompting families to buckle up and respect speed limits. The foundation aims to lower injuries and ultimately achieve a “zero‑accident” goal, with particular focus on motorcycle‑related crashes.