747
drunk drivers with a level
of alcohol in blood so
high that in addition to
the fine, drivers were
taken to the Public
Ministry where they face a
criminal
complaint.
/ A.M. Costa Rica
wire services photo
|
Traffic
Police have fined more than
1,500
for reckless driving
By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
Traffic Police have sanctioned
1,889 drivers during the first
five months of the year from
January to May for reckless
driving such as drunk driving,
speeding and wrong way driving,
among others.
According to Article 143 of the
Traffic Law, the fine for
reckless driving is $545, plus
the registration of 6 points
against the driver's license
record.
When a driver has registered 6
points on his/her driver's
license, the individual must
take a sensitivity and
reeducation course and pass that
course with a grade equal to or
greater than 80 points. These
requirements are necessary to be
able to renew the driver's
license.
A new driver who earns 6 points
immediately loses the right to
drive for a year. After that,
the driver must redo all the
process from the beginning,
applying for the driving test to
obtain the driver's license.
According to the traffic police,
among the most common cases
were:
- 747 drunk drivers with a level
of alcohol in blood so high that
in addition to the fine, drivers
were taken to the Public
Ministry where they face a
criminal complaint.
- 432 drivers who invaded the
opposite lanes.
- 227 drivers who made a U-turn
in an area where the maneuver is
not allowed.
- 182 drivers who passed on
curves, intersections or
bridges.
- 112 drivers who were speeding
over 120 km/h.
- 129 who were driving with a
low-level of alcohol.
- 60 drivers for driving with
the license suspended.
"Detecting reckless drivers is
the priority for officers
because of the seriousness of
the damage that could cause to
other people," said German Marín
Sandí, director of the Traffic
Police.
On May 28, as A.M. Costa Rica
reported, the Traffic Police
confiscated more than 5,000
vehicles and 20,000 plates for
traffic violations
The statistics of the Traffic
Police show that during the
first four months of this year,
from January to April, 14,000
drivers were sanctions for
parking in a restricted zone and
that in many of those cases the
license plates or even the
vehicles were seized.
Illegal parking is just one of
the violations that have led the
Traffic Police to make more than
25,000 vehicle seizures during
that period.
Among the confiscated vehicles
that are still in the traffic
police storehouse, are 4,539
motorcycles, 420 cars, and 41
trucks.
Police also seized 19,935 plates
from 10,966 cars, 7,026
motorcycles, and 922 trucks.
According to Marín, the vehicles
were confiscated from drivers
who "were drunk driving,
speeding or do not even have a
driver’s license.”
Transit police say only the
owners can request vehicle
recovery and only after paying a
fine.
Also on May, the Traffic Police
said that during the same
period, from January to April,
5,128 drivers have been fined
for violations of the traffic
law.
There has been an average of
four violations a day, or 470
drivers total, for carrying
children under 12 years old
without the approved safety
device.
According to the traffic law,
the fine in these cases is
approximately $370, plus four
negative points on the driver's
license.
Marín said that it is
regrettable that adults put
children's lives at risk by not
using safety devices. "Recently
a child was saved from dying or
having serious injuries in an
accident because he had the
right device for his age,
weight, and height," Marin said.
“We must understand that these
are not luxury accessories, they
are security measures."
According to Marin, many of the
drivers' excuses for that they
don’t have the money to buy a
child seat or because the driver
thinks he or she will take a
short trip where there is no
accident risk.
In addition, the police report
that of those 470 cases, there
were 50 motorcycle driver
infractions for transporting
children under 5 years of age.
The law prohibits a child under
the age of 5 from traveling by
motorcycle precisely because of
the inability of such small
persons to adequately support
themselves on the motorcycle or
on the adult who transports
them, police have said.
In these cases, the fine is the
same, $370, plus four points
posted against the driver's
license.
The transit police reported that
during the same period, 1,670
drivers were sanctioned for not
wearing the safety belt or for
allowing other people who
traveled in the car to not to
wear it. In this case, the fine
is approximately $185, but there
is no penalty of points on the
driver's license.
Motorcyclists were issued 1,640
tickets for not wearing a helmet
or wearing it badly. In
addition, 919 fines were imposed
because the motorcyclist's
companion did not wear a helmet
or wore it improperly. In both
cases, the fine is approximately
$185, and there is no penalty
for points that are recorded in
the driver's license.
Finally, officers imposed 429
fines for drivers using their
cell phones while driving. In
this case, the fine is the same,
$185, and there are no penalty
points recorded on the driver's
license.
The penalty points are applied
against the driver for
committing faults and are
recorded in a database of the
Road Safety Council. When the
driver renews the license, other
sanctions related to the number
of registered faults will be
applied.
--------------------------------
What are the punishments for
drunk driving, speeding or
driving without a license in
your country? We would like to
know your thoughts on this
story. Send your comments
to: news@amcostarica.com
|
