On Tuesday morning, a rollover traffic accident occurred on the national road leading to the Mariato district in the province of Veraguas, Panama. The driver of a semi-truck loaded with over 400 quintals of rice lost control of the steering wheel and overturned onto the roadway, causing a partial closure of traffic for several hours. According to preliminary reports, units from the National Police's Traffic Operations attended the scene to initiate investigations to determine the causes of the incident. Local residents expressed their concern, noting that this type of accident has become frequent on this stretch of road. "Some drivers, especially the young, drive as if this were a highway," commented one local resident. Neighbors and truck drivers had to wait until heavy machinery managed to remove the vehicle and clear the way. Locals are asking transit authorities to reinforce surveillance and speed controls on that stretch, recalling that a few days ago a young man lost his life after swerving off the road and hitting an elderly person. "These are the consequences," commented a resident who preferred not to reveal their name. Due to its size and heavy load, the truck blocked a large part of the road, affecting dozens of drivers heading to the coastal communities of Mariateo. "It is urgent that measures are taken before we continue to regret more tragedies," expressed another resident. The accident highlights the need for greater road safety education and preventive control on the roads of Veraguas, especially on those like the route to Mariato, which combines dangerous curves and overconfidence at the wheel. So far, no fatalities have been reported, although the accident caused disruptions to vehicular circulation and considerable material damage.
