Gas emissions and brake failures continue to be the main reasons why vehicles failed the annual vehicular inspection for 2013, according to Riteve.
By the numbers, in 2013, 48% of all vehicles failed the test on the first go round, down from a 71% failure rate in 2003.
Other causes for failure, said Riteve spokesperson, Jennifer Hidalgo, included problems with seatbelts and tension bars.
All vehicles in Costa Rica must be submitted once a year (taxis twice a year) to a full mechanical inspection. Vehicles failing the inspection have up to 30 days to correct the problem(s) and submit to a re-inspection. The cost for re-inspection is 50% of the full inspection.
Reinspection must be done at the same station as the original inspection. After the 30 day re-inspection period, a vehicle must be submitted for full inspection. Also, drivers of vehicles in the process of re-inspection and over their inspection month, are subject to a traffic fine if pulled over.
Many are under the false impression that there is a 30 day grace period while in re-inspection. But in fact, according to the Ley de Tránsito (Traffic Law) any vehicle without the current Riteve is subject to a fine. A vehicle in the re-inspection process is not current if past the inspection month.
For the holiday period, all Riteve stations will be closed on January 1. All other days, except Sundays when stations are normally closed and December 31 closing at noon, all stations will operate normal hours.
