Quintana Roo’s Deadly Roads Claim 5 Lives in a Day

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Two fatal accidents on April 15, resulting in five deaths, have underscored the dire state of road safety in Quintana Roo, a state that recorded 88 fatalities and over 3,500 injuries in traffic incidents last year. The tragedies highlight the deteriorating conditions of highways and urban roads, with Federal Highway 307 emerging as a particularly lethal corridor.

A Day of Tragedy

The first crash occurred in the morning on Luis Donaldo Colosio Avenue, near the intersections of Búhos and Pavo Real Avenues. A young female driver lost control of her gray Volkswagen Jetta—registered in the State of Mexico—while traveling east to west. The vehicle veered into the central median, struck a pole, and collided with a mototaxi from the "Tortugas Amarillas" group (affiliated with the taxi union). The impact decapitated the driver and ignited the mototaxi, killing two people in total.

Hours later, a second accident unfolded on Federal Highway 307 at kilometer 168+300, near Tres Reyes–Chumpon. A speeding pickup truck failed to heed warning signs and crashed into the rear of a disabled tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder. Three occupants of the pickup were crushed to death, while the truck driver sustained severe injuries.

Highway 307: A Deadly Corridor

Federal Highway 307, the sole land route connecting Cancún to Chetumal, has become a hotspot for fatal collisions. On March 6, a dump truck with failed brakes triggered a chain-reaction crash involving 12 vehicles near Puerto Morelos, leaving one dead and 10 seriously injured. Another collision on March 12 between two cars at kilometer 256 near Tulum–Playa del Carmen resulted in multiple injuries.

Senator Mayuli Martínez Simón of the National Action Party (PAN) recently urged the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) to address the highway’s critical deterioration. She cited 720 serious accidents between 2021 and August 2023, with 432 deaths recorded from 2023 through early 2024.

"The road is torture to drive on," Martínez stated, blaming potholes, sinkholes, incomplete sections, and poor signage. She also linked the crisis to heavy freight and tourist traffic, extreme weather, and damage from Maya Train construction. "Quintana Roo’s residents and visitors are paying with their lives for this negligence," she warned, noting the highway’s role in sustaining the state’s tourism-driven economy, which contributes 8.7% of Mexico’s GDP.

Urban and Motorcycle Hazards

In Cancún alone, March and early April saw 124 traffic accidents involving public transport, with drivers at fault in 72 cases. These incidents left 48 injured and two dead. Motorcyclists face heightened risks: 244 crashes in Cancún and Playa del Carmen in March claimed 13 lives, including five on Highway 307 this year.

National Context

Quintana Roo ranks among Mexico’s deadliest states for traffic fatalities, with 88 deaths in 2023, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). Nationwide, the year saw 4,803 traffic deaths and 90,500 injuries, with Quintana Roo reporting 3,593 injured.

Authorities have yet to respond to Senator Martínez’s call for immediate repairs and safety upgrades on Highway 307. As accidents mount, residents and advocates demand action to prevent further loss of life on the state’s perilous roads.