It went into effect at 10 pm, and within a few minutes, some 30 drivers had been fined for violating the nationwide vehicular restrictions that will now be part of Costa Rican every day until 5 am.
The Policia de Transito (traffic police), backed up by authorized officers of the Fuerza Publica (National Pollice) and municipal police forces are tasked with enforcing the night measure to keep people off the streets.
The Minister of Security Michael Soto, as well as the director of the Traffic Police Germán Marín, and the director of the Fuerza Publica, Daniel Calderón, ask the population to be respectful of the measure aimed at avoiding the contagion that exists in the country.
When the clock struck 10 p.m. the officers of the different police forces, who, with gloves and face masks, began the task of stopping passenger cars and issuing fines to drivers who were not exempt, for example, people working during the restricted hours, providing an essential service or in an emergency situation. See the full exemption list below.
In addition to issuing fines for violating the restrictions, drivers face fines and or confiscation of license plates and or the vehicle if in violation of other traffic rules, such as not carrying a driver’s license, not having the Marchamo (circulation permit) or Riteve (vehicle inspection) current, among others.
Director Marín explained that drivers can be fined multiple times in the same evening, that is if they continue to drive and run into multiple inspections.
Though the major concentration of the police forces last was in the central valley, the 10 pm to 5 am restriction is countrywide.
