Sunday Morning Traffic
Checks Nets Drunks
DriversThe
Policía de Tránsito
(traffic police) in its
war on drunk drivers are
now running full scale
spot checks and road
blocks, not only in the
small hours of Saturday
and Sunday morning,
surprising drivers as
they come out of bars
and discos, but also
during the late Sunday
morning hours.
Their objective is to
catch drunk drivers who,
instead of sleeping
continue their Saturday
night party of drinking.
In other cases, the
effects of alcohol have
yet to wear off, as
drivers get behind the
wheel of the car for a
Sunday morning stroll.
According to German
Marín, director of the
Policía de Tránsito,
yesterday morning drunk
drivers fell in the
hands of traffic police
like flies, especially
in the area of
Desamparados, the
heaviest populated area
of San José, where at
10:30am drivers were
surprised to see the
traffic police.
Traditionally, the roads
on Sunday mornings have
few traffic police on
patrol. However, the new
tactics of the Tránsito
are surprising more than
one driver.
In one case, Tránsito
officials could smell
the alcohol pouring from
the windows of the
vehicle, surprising one
driver who registered
3.6 or the equivalent of
13 beers. In other
cases, Tránsito
officials were offered
bribes by drunk drivers.
In the end, the drivers
caught in the late
morning checks got their
respective tickers of
¢20.000 colones, had
their vehicles
confiscated and had to
walk home.
Like the sign at the
toll stations read
"Costa Rica loves peace,
but is living a war on
its roads", the Policía
de Tránsito are adamant
on winning the fight
against drunk and
careless drivers. |
