Traffic Officials Will
Be Watching For Safe Driving
Watching for safe driving will be a priority
of traffic officials on Monday as the full
effect of the new Ley de Tránsito takes
place, and not spot checks to persecute
drivers.
The comment was made by the legal director
of the Consejo de Seguridad Vial (Cosevi),
Carlos Rivas, and confirms the remarks made
by the ministro de Obras Publicas y
Transportes (MOPT), Marco Vargas, who asks
that Tránsitos (traffic) officials use the
next two months to educate the public on
minor offences, rather than punish.
The minister's statement has caused
confusion among the traffic officials, who
according to the secretary general of the
Unión Nacional de Técnicos Profesionales de
Tránsito, Joselito Ureña, his membership is
not clear on what offence should be fined
and not.
Ureña said "nothing is clear" and total
confusion reigns the traffic police force.
In addition, Ureña said that traffic
officials are completely unprotected from
the expected abuse of drivers upset on
getting pulled over and as such has called a
meeting today to determine the exact action
to be taken by the traffic officials.
However, Germán Marín, head of the traffic
police force, assures that all his officials
are fully trained for Monday's start of the
law and the officers are clear on what
actions to take.
Marín explained that an "emergency training"
of the officers has taken place and there is
no doubt as to what and what not will be
fined come Monday.
Notwithstanding the bantering between the
police head and union, one thing is clear,
drunk and reckless drivers will continue to
be pulled over, drivers who insist on
driving over 120 km/h will also be pulled
over, as well as drivers who insist on not
respecting traffic lights, stop signs and
other signals.
Beginning on Monday the maximum fine for a
traffic offence is ¢293.400 colones (the
amount for all the foregoing infractions)
and deduction of points from a drivers
license, that can lead temporary and
permanent suspension for repeat offenders.
Come Monday, one thing is for sure, there
will be a new driving conscience in Costa
Rica, as drivers will face stiff economic
sanctions for bad driving habits.
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