Strengthening Sober Driving Initiative in the Dominican Republic

The Autosobriety Training Programme, including modules on legislation, alcohol’s physiological effects, and prevention strategies, aims to build long-term institutional capacity and promote a culture of responsibility and sobriety on the roads.

Experts from Mexico and Ecuador shared their experiences working to improve road safety in their regions. Mr. Juan Ernesto Zapata Silva, former Director General of ECU 911 in Ecuador, explained the origins of the national campaign “No More Lost Hearts on the Roads,” which is based on three pillars—Training, Awareness, and Enforcement—and emphasized the important role of collaboration between authorities, citizens, and the media in reducing traffic fatalities.
Mr. Sergio Omar Muñoz Torres, former Traffic Director in Arandas, Mexico, cited challenges he had to overcome, such as a lack of protocols, personnel, materials, and supplies for detecting alcohol in suspected drivers, as well as inconsistencies between statistics from different offices and official reports in managing incident data.

The awarding of certificates to ToT participants marked a key milestone in the programme’s local amplification, bringing this global initiative closer to individuals on the ground and reinforcing its long-term sustainability. Far from concluding the effort, the event signalled the start of a strengthened and continued collaboration among UNITAR, INTRANT, the LMD, CIFAL Dominican Republic, Pernod Ricard, and local authorities to make Dominican roads safer for all.