Reforms To The New Ley
de Tránsito Expected Approved Before March 1
Deadline
The country's legislators are in a rush to
approve the reforms to the reforms known as
the new Ley de Tránsito, that applies stiff
fines and sanctions to bad, reckless and
drunk drivers. Although the law was passed
by legislators and went into effect in
December 2008, only the drunk driving
provisions actually went into effect, with
the balance of the law going into effect on
September 23, 2009.
However, opposition to some of the stiff
penalties forced another delay last
September, when legislators agreed to
postpone the full effect of the law until
March 1, 2010. On in two weeks.
The major point of contention has been the
amount of the fines.
The new Ley de Tránsito increases the
current fines from 10 to 20 times, adds a
point system and suspending and cancelling
licenses for serious and repeat offenders.
Being discussed by legislators is reducing
fines up to 40% or more as contemplated in
the December 2008 law.
For instance, the top end ˘397.000 colones
fine would be reduced to ˘234.995 colones.
At least that is the mood of the majority of
legislators.
Altough legislators have yet to come to a
consensus, the Poder Ejecutivo (Government)
has outlined an legislative agenda
(timetable) to limit discussion and approval
before the March 1 deadline.
Jorge Méndes, head of the Partido Liberación
Nacional (PLN) - ruling party - legislators,
assures that come Tuesday the reforms will
be on the legislative agenda.
Méndez saud that the fines have to be
"realistic" and must not fall to pandering.
The new Ley de Tránsito reform discussions
had been put aside to allow time for
legislators to deal with the "intellectual
property" bill before the current
legislature is resolved and makes way for a
new legislative group to form on May 8.
However, the intellectual property
discussion took more time and now
legislators are being asked to put that
aside for the time being to approve the
traffic law before the March 1 deadline.
The important note here is that the new Ley
de Tránsito will go into effect on March 1,
2010, no matter is the legislators approve
the changes or not.
The new law has been serious on drunk
drivers.
Currently, the law allows Tránsitos to fine
a driver who is found to be with a blood
alcohol limit of between 0.50 and 0.75. This
range is called "preebriedad". Drivers with
over the 0.75 are exposed to immediate
detention (arrest) and a possible jail term.
The fine for the preebriedad is ˘269.800
colones (us$490 at today's exchange rate).
The majority of legislators want that amount
reduced, as well as changing the pre
intoxication level to 0.75 to 0.99.
If all goes well, second reading of the
reforms will be between February 22 and 25,
in time for the changes to be published in
the official government publication, La
Gaceta after receiving the signature of
president Arias. |
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