Carabineros issued a second traffic update during the Easter long weekend, reporting three fatalities in road accidents and 65 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol. The force recorded 286,000 vehicles leaving the Santiago Metropolitan Region and conducted 35,000 checks. Public Works Minister Martín Arrau urged drivers to exercise caution.
On Saturday, Carabineros reported one additional fatality from a collision, bringing the total to three deaths over the period from Thursday 3 p.m. to Friday 11:59 p.m.
Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Cortés of the Traffic Prefecture stated that 35,000 vehicle checks were performed, including 7,856 substance tests. Among these, 65 drivers were arrested for alcohol and 21 for drugs, with three more for speeding over 60 km/h.
A total of 286,000 vehicles left the Metropolitan Region, 10% below estimates, according to Public Works Minister Martín Arrau, who attended the briefing. “I reiterate to motorists [...] drive very prudently,” he urged.
Arrau stressed: “A car is not a toy. A car can cause serious damage and even death, as we have seen with these three fatal accidents.” He advised planning trips and returning early to avoid traffic jams.
