Traffic accidents and emergency responses rise across Latin America

Multiple Latin American countries are reporting significant road safety concerns and emergency response challenges.

In Ecuador, two traffic accidents in Salinas, Ibarra, resulted in two deaths and six injuries. One incident involved a vehicle rollover, while another involved a collision between a public service vehicle and a private car.

Costa Rica has seen a surge in emergency calls. The Red Cross treated 11 injured people in various locations, including collisions and a pedestrian accident. In Sarapiquí, a truck fell 10 meters into a ravine, requiring medical assessment for 36 people, three of whom were hospitalized.

In Peru, the Ministry of Health reported that the SAMU service has attended over 10,000 traffic accident emergencies so far in 2026, with over 3,600 requiring ambulance dispatch. Authorities have highlighted the difficulty of navigating traffic, noting that the average ambulance arrival time is approximately 14 minutes.

Panama reported a 9% increase in traffic incidents during the first half of 2026 compared to the previous year, averaging 146 accidents per day. These incidents resulted in 191 fatalities across the country.