(QCOSTARICA) The daily pre-pandemic traffic congestion curbed many of the “fast and furious” on the roads, but due to the vehicular restrictions and empty streets, the Policia de Transito (traffic police) report an increase in fines for drivers disrespecting speed limits.
Transito assumes that with fewer vehicles on the streets, some drivers choose to drive at speeds of more than 20 km/h more above the allowed limits, which means a fine if caught.
This week, the “fast and furious” were even more noticeable, in addition to not respecting speed limits, not respecting stop signs, the yellow lines, traffic lights, in general with so few cars on the roads, why bother.
The police authority points out that with fewer vehicles on the road, certain drivers are motivated to speed.
According to data from the Policia de Transito, in the first half of the year, 1,869 drivers were penalized for exceeding speed limits. That figure represented an increase of almost 9% compared to the same period in 2019.
Precisely speeding is the third leading cause of mortality on the roads, followed by lane invasion and recklessness.
On the flip side, there have been 12,000 fewer accidents so far this year, compared to the same period in 2019.
“We have 66 fewer deaths on the road this year, compared to 2019. The sanitary vehicle restriction has allowed us to work on control issues that were previously less attended to.
“For example, on the issue of speed control, we have 149 more fines, and we went from 41 deaths last year to 25 this year, for this possible cause. Therefore, we must deduce that the confluence of less road traffic and greater police presence in specific control tasks have influenced these less negative data, compared to last year, “explained Germán Marín, director of the Policia de Transito.
In Costa Rica, drivers can drive up to 20 km/h over the posted limit without incurring a sanction; at 21 km/h over the speeding is now 21 over the limit and not 1.
Thus driving, some sections of the Ruta 27 and Ruta 1 in Guanacaste has posted limits of 100 km/h, which means driving at 120 km/h is within the limit at 121 it is speeding, sanctioned by a fine of ¢326,701 colones and six points on the driver’s license, mean a classroom re-education course when renewing the license.
Driving at speeds of 150 km/h or higher is also sanctioned with a criminal charge.
According to Transito figures, the majority of speeding fines are in zones with 40 km/h limits. While the legal driving limit would be 60 km/h, drivers have been clocked at 80 and 100.
Driving at more than 40 km/h over the posted limit is sanctioned with a ¢220.774 colones fine and four points; over 30 km/h is a fine of ¢110,378 colones. Same fine for driving over 25 km/h in a school zone with the presence of students.
Driving between 21 and 29 over the posted limit is sanctioned with a fine of ¢54,636.
