Fuel-Saving Measures
The Government of Costa Rica is assessing
measures to lower the consumption of fuel.
Among the measures being discussed is limiting the number of vehicles on
the streets of the capital city, and mainly at peak hours, when traffic
jams result in higher fuel use. Other measures include staggering the
schedules of schools and public offices, to further lower the traffic
jams and assessing the use of alternative fuels.
However, one measure that should be discussed but isn't, is the change
in policy regarding vehicular accidents.
As it stands, any vehicular accident, no matter if it is only a "fender
bender" it has to be attended to by a Transit official before any of the
vehicles involved can be moved.
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This causes, and especially at peak hours, enormous traffic jams and
of course, unnecessary fuel consumption.
We suggest that the MOPT - the Ministro de Obras Publicas y Tranporte -
who is responsible for roads and traffic, to review and immediately make
changes to this rule.
One case in point is a traffic accident yesterday afternoon at 5pm on
the main road from Tibas to Santo Domingo de Heredia. The road is a two
lane one way direction west that leads to the road to Santo Domingo in
one lane and re-directs traffic eastbound in the other lane. It is the
only thoroughfare to Santo Domingo from Tibas and very heavily travelled.
As we headed west on our way to Santo Domingo we came up on stalled
traffic. Nothing unusual, this was rush hour after all. Fifteen minutes
later and moving only a few hundred meters, we came upon the cause of
the roadblock. A tractor trailer had bumped into a passenger vehicle as
it was making a left turn onto the road, causing only slight damage to
the smaller vehicle, but entirely blocking all traffic on the main road.
Frustrated drivers, now three aside on a two lane road, inched, fumed
and sucked in all the nasty exhausts, inching their way around the
tractor trailer, making a u-turn around it in oncoming traffic, to pass.
Rush hour, both in the morning as in the afternoon, has Transit
resources saturated. Add a little rain and the problem multiplies.
Worsening the matter is the silly "don't move the vehicles" rule.
Everyone standing idly by, watching the paint scratches, as cars idle
their engines, wasting fuel.
Our suggestion is to "prioritize" the accidents, dispatching Transit
officials to life threatening accidents first and those accidents where
they clog a major traffic artery, like the one yesterday.
Or perhaps, more boldly, make changes to the current rules so that
drivers in "minor" accidents can move the vehicles and Transit officials
can rely on eye witnesses to reconstruct the accident.
This small change could make a difference in the amount of fuel consumed
on Costa Rican roads as drivers wait, sometimes for hours, for a Transit
official to make to the scene.
Oh, and let's not forget the INS accident inspector.
This is a group of inspectors who ride, for the most part, on motor
scooters to accident scenes, a necessary part of the report and moving
of the vehicles.
Perhaps, they can be given the authority to clear the accident scene, as
they can usually respond to an accident scene before Transit.
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