SANTO DOMINGO - With the aim of promoting safer road mobility and reducing traffic accident rates related to harmful alcohol consumption, the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (Intrant) and the global premium beverage company, Diageo, signed a memorandum of understanding to implement the "En Contravía" program in the Dominican Republic.

The online resource consists of an interactive online learning experience developed in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), which will present participants with a series of real-life scenarios, allowing them to interact with people who have driven under the influence of alcohol.

During the signing of the agreement, Milton Morrison, executive director of Intrant, highlighted that this agreement is part of the efforts established in the National Pact for Road Safety, recently signed by President Luis Abinader, along with 121 public, private and civil society entities, with the goal of saving lives.

Milton Morrison and Adriana Pocaterra . (EXTERNAL SOURCE).

“Through this collaboration with Diageo, a company that has been an ally for road safety in the country, we will contribute to reducing traffic accident rates related to alcohol consumption, which represent one of the main causes of mortality on the country's roads,” he said.

For her part, Adriana Pocaterra, representative of Diageo Dominicana, expressed: “As leaders in the premium beverage industry, we have a firm commitment to promoting responsible consumption to ensure the safety and well-being of all.

We recognize the importance of raising awareness and motivating people to adopt a responsible attitude behind the wheel. The introduction of "Driving Against the Flow" into road safety education talks is a step in the right direction to help improve road safety and reduce accidents. We are proud to partner with Intrant to contribute to a significant change in road safety in the Dominican Republic,” he added.

This would be the second collaboration between DIAGEO and INTRANT, following the donation and training for the use of breathalyzers, as part of the actions developed by the International Alliance for Responsible Consumption (IARD).

Expected impact

The memorandum, with an initial validity of two years, includes the creation of a Joint Coordination Committee that will oversee the implementation of the program and evaluate its impact.

The “Against the Grain” program, launched in 2022, will be implemented in key activities of Intrant, in order to enhance the reach of the initiative and bring about a positive change for national road safety, such as digital content during the issuance or renewal process, in awareness activities, campaigns to prevent harmful alcohol consumption and the talks that are carried out for the recovery of points once the system is implemented or as part of the training curriculum at the National School of Road Safety Education.

Additionally, the collaboration of both parties is established in awareness and education activities, including the integration of the program into key processes such as prevention campaigns in schools.