More Than 14.000 Traffic Accidents This Year Over Last

While legislators drag their feet in approving the reforms to the Ley de Tránsito traffic accidents keep piling up. In fact, this year so far there have been 67.182 crashes, some 14.000 more than in 2011 before the Constitutional Court watered down the current traffic law.



The statistics are recorded by the Consejo de Seguridad Vial (Cosevi), the government agency responsible for road safety.

The current traffic law went into force on March 1, 2010, with fines in the hundreds of dollars for traffic infractions like speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, running a red light, etc. and a point system.

In the first 18 months the COSEVI reported a noticeable decrease in accidents and traffic fines issued by Tránsito (traffic cops). Since the Constitutional Court has rolled back traffic fines for speeding and running red lights or stop signs, among others, to levels before 2010, when the maximum fine was ˘20.000 colones. And traffic accidents have been on the increase.

The Constitutional Court said the high fines are "disproportional" as the reason for the rollbacks.

Thus, getting a traffic ticket today is nothing more than a nuisance, the economic impact is not a deterrent anymore.

In addition to speeding and running a red light or stop sign, driving without the vehicle inspection, not wearing a seatbelt and including not having a license, among other things, comes with a fine that is less than a meal for four at a fast food restaurant.
 

Infractions from Jan 1 to Aug 8, 2012

• No marchamo: 7.000 • No drivers licenses: 10.200 • Violating San José restrictions: 11.000 • Not wearing a seatbelt: 15.000 • No vehicular inspection: 20.000 • Source:  Consejo de Seguridad Vial (COSEVI)

For example, driving without a the vehicular inspection is ˘10.000 colones, less than a takeout large pizza. Not wearing a seatbelt is only ˘20.000 colones.

Although drivers lose points for each infraction that leads to a license suspension, many drivers do not take this into account, for the fine for driving without a drivers license is only ˘20.000.

The new Ley de Transito that aims to reform the reforms of 2010 is currently approved in first vote but stuck at the Constitutional Court level, as magistrates review the law, before going back to the Legislative Assembly for the required second and final vote.

When that will happen is anyone's guess. Meanwhile, crashes add up and statistics record the fatalities.