By the
A.M. Costa Rica staff
The most recent traffic police report says that in
the first two months of the year, 698 drivers were
sanctioned for driving without wearing a seat-belt,
and an additional 243 drivers were sanctioned
because a passenger was not wearing a seat-belt, or
was wearing it incorrectly.
According to the Traffic Law, the fine for not
wearing a seat-belt or improperly using it, for the
driver or passengers, is ¢107,770 (about $ 180).
German Marín, General Director of the Traffic
Police, said that when the drivers are stopped, many
say that they "forget or even ignore that the belt
is mandatory for the driver and all passengers."
The Traffic Law establishes that the maximum
passenger capacity is indicated in the documents of
the vehicle and that seat belts must match that
capacity. In the case that drivers carry extra
passengers, it means that someone is not wearing a
seat belt.
An additional 281 drivers were fined when caught
with a cell phone in their hands while driving. The
fine for this is also ¢107,770 (about $ 180).
Another 37 drivers were sanctioned for driving with
people in the bed of a pick-up truck and received
the same fine.
In total, in the months of January and February,
1,259 drivers were fined for committing these
infractions.
The transit police call on drivers to respect the
law, not only to avoid the fine but also to keep
from endangering the lives of passengers.
Related to motorcycles accidents, as A.M. Costa Rica
reported on Friday, the traffic police reported
majority of deaths in road accidents are related to
motorcycle travel.
Traffic police statistics show that this year, 43
have died while traveling on a motorcycle. This is
52 percent of the total of 82 deaths due to traffic
accidents.
In all of 2018, the percentage of deaths attributed
to motorcycle travel was only 46 percent. In the
first three months of this year, there were eight
more cases of motorcycle related deaths than in the
same period last year.
Alberto Barquero, director of the Traffic Police,
said, "Some motorcyclists do imprudent maneuvers,
like lane overtaking on the right side of the road,
do not wear a helmet, do not turn on the motorcycle
lights, not wearing reflective clothes signs, among
others faults."
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Traffic police courtesy photo
In total, in the months of January and February,
1,259 drivers were fined for committing driving
infractions.
Traffic police found that the main types of fines
for motorcyclists are:
- 1,092 motorcyclists fined for not wearing clothes
or reflective signs.
- 724 motorcyclists fined for not wearing the helmet
or wearing it incorrectly.
-417 motorcyclists fined for allowing their
companion not to wear a helmet or to wear it
incorrectly.
- 22 motorcyclists fined for carrying children under
5 years old.
In addition to the fines, the police report having
confiscated 3,890 motorcycle license plates and
2,289 motorcycles between January and February, for
failure to comply with the Traffic Law.
The transit police call on motorcyclists to respect
the traffic law.
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Are fines for not
wearing a seat belt higher or lower than those
in your country?
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