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Published
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Mayors will appeal
the ban-on-driving rule
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Mayors of the cantons of Escazú and Santa Ana in San José Province, together with those of Carrillo, Liberia, Santa Cruz and Nandayure in Guanacaste Province, will present an appeal against the government's decision to maintain the ban-on-driving rule.
On behalf of the group, Arnoldo Barahona, mayor of Escazu, during a press conference on Monday, stated that this rule of restricting the free movement of a vehicle is a clear infringement of the order of the judge who last week ordered the immediate suspension of the ban on the ban-on-driving rule.
According to José Pablo Badilla, the legal representative of the mayors, all drivers who are arrested and fined by the police for breaking the ban-on-driving rule must file a complaint and also warn the traffic officer that a fine is a wrongful act due to the government order halting fines for breaking the driving rule.
It is expected that during this week, the mayors present the lawsuit against the government that, according to Barahona, almost half of the country's mayors agree.
Last week, the Contentious Administrative Court judge suspended the ban-on-driving rule based on the conclusion the government order could generate more infections of covid-19.
The judge considered that by preventing people from using their own car, they are forced to use public transportation, where it is impossible to maintain a distance of 1.8 meters with other people.
Then, the government, through the General Attorney, presented an appeal against the order of a judge's decision.
According to the judge's conclusion, the ban-on-driving rule is not an effective measure to contain or prevent contagion of covid-19. They said that if what it intended in avoiding contact with infected people with a ban-on-driving rule, it actually caused the opposite. It is the conglomeration in public services such as buses or taxis which don’t enforce practicing social distancing of 1.8 meters that is recommended by the Ministry of Health, which cannot be maintained.
Meanwhile, the judge's order remains in effect until the claim is resolved.
The ban-on-driving rule, imposed since March, has the goal of "contributing to the reduction of the spread of the covid-19 pandemic," according to the government.
On weekdays, the ban on driving rules continues from Monday through Friday, where driving is allowed from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. The vehicles banned are based on the last number of the vehicle plate number, as follows:
• Monday: plates banned end in 1 or 2.
• Tuesday: plates banned end in 3 or 4.
• Wednesday: plates banned end in 5 or 6.
• Thursday: plates banned end in 7 or 8.
• Friday: plates banned end in 9 or 0.
On weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, regardless of the plate number, all vehicles will be able to travel from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. nationwide.
Readers can verify the updated ban on driving by
visiting the government website Covid-19/Alerta/Vehicular.
Concerning the penalties for breaking the ban-on-driving rule, the deputies in Congress approved a reduction of the fines to approximately $180.
The approved bill prohibits traffic officials from seizing vehicle plates or even vehicles, in addition to no longer reducing penalty points on the driving license of the driver.
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Do you feel the driving rule reduces the covid-19 contagion in the country? We would
like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your
comments to news@amcostarica.com
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