"Everything Is
Mildly
Confusing", The
Sentiment Of
Many Over New
Traffic Law
Reforms
Before getting
behind the wheel
after drinking
or taking part
in races, best
to think it
twice as the
practice will
land you in
jail. Or
Speeding 20 km/h
over the posted
limit, not
wearing a
seatbelt or
talking on a
cell phone,
which all now
come with a high
fine.
Although the
reforms to the
Ley de Tránsito
are not into law
yet, they may be
in the coming
week, as
legislators are
expected to take
a second and
final vote today
and the send the
legislation to
the national
printer for
printing in La
Gaceta, which
same day the law
will go into
effect.
The reforms
passed in first
reading on
Tuesday made
away with the
point system and
reduce many of
fines included
in the Ley de
Tránsito that
went into effect
on March 1,
2010, however,
heavy fines and
tough sanctions
on drunk and
reckless drivers
continue.
Lets take a look
at some the
major items.
Driving with a
blood alcohol of
0.75 and over
will mean a
quick pass to
the local
courthouse jail
and the filing
of criminal
charges and
confiscation of
the vehicle and
suspension of
the drivers
license,
although the
jail is only for
the recurring
drunk drivers.
And although the
"pre drunk"
provisions (0.50
to 0.74) have
been removed in
the reforms,
drivers within
those limits can
face a prison
term of up to 15
years if
involved in a
fatal traffic
accident.
So, although
there is no fear
of losing a
drivers license
due to poor
driving habits,
the reforms do
touch the
pocketbook
enough to make a
social change.
Or at least that
is the hope of
legislators.
Once the reforms
are in effect,
crossing a red
light, not
stopping at a
stop sign, for
example, will
cost ¢146.700,
plus costs that
can bring the
fine close to
¢200.000 colones
or us$400 at
today's exchange
rate.
Driving a
vehicle without
the Marchamo
(vehicle's
circulation
permit) - a
common practice
in Costa Rica -
now will cost
the driver and
eventually the
owner of the
vehicle,
¢49.878, plus
costs.
Not wearing a
seatbelt costs
¢38.142. Driving
with an expired
license will
cost ¢29.340.
Not carrying the
vehicle's
ownership,
Marchamo and
Riteve handy
will cost
¢20.538 and
driving in San
José in
violation of the
restrictions
¢8.802, the
lowest of all
fines.
However, even
though the point
system is out,
Francisco
Jiménez, the
ministro de
Obras Públicas y
Transportes (MOPT)
assures that he
will sent to the
legislature a
proposal to
reinstate the
points.
For Germán Marín,
the director of
the Policía de
Tránsito - the
country's top
traffic cop - he
said his main
concern is the
removal of the
"pre drunk"
provisions and
that only
recurring drunk
drivers (those
over 0.75) will
go to jail.
Marín explained
that lessening
the sanctions on
drunk drivers
will mean more
accidents.
The director
uses the numbers
of the past
Semana Santa
where the number
of fatalities on
the roads during
the Holy Week
was greatly
reduced, mainly
due to the
strict
application of
the traffic law
and tough
sanctions on
drunk drivers.
Although the
reforms are
expected to pass
into law, some
legislators are
not happy with
the final result
and expected to
continue to
fight for the
tougher
measures,
including asking
the Sala
Constitucional
(Constitutional
Court), using
the rouse that
the rights of
handicapped were
not taken into
account.
Such a move,
which has been
talked about by
PAC legislator,
Alberto Salom,
would further
delay the
enacting of the
reforms.
As one reader of
Inside Costa
Rica put it to
us in an email,
"everything is
mildly
confusing".
Our
recommendation
is as follows:
- Don't drink
and drive
- Wear a
seatbelt and do
not talk on a
cell phone while
driving, use a "handsfree"
headset
- Ensure you
have your
drivers license
on hand and the
vehicle's papers
in the glove box
- For foreigners
driving in Costa
Rica with a
foreign license,
ensure that you
are within the
"visitor"
status*
- Watch your
speed and obey
all traffic
signals
* Foreigners
are permitted to
drive in Costa
Rica with a
drivers license
of their home
country, all if
and when they
are within their
visitor stay (90
days for North
Americans and
Europeans, 30
for most
others), as
evidenced in the
entry stamp in
their passport.
After that, they
are required to
obtain a Costa
Rican drivers
license.
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