Reckless driving continues on an upswing, Traffic Police says 052422

- Photo via Ministry of Public Transports -

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Published on Tuesday, May 24, 2022
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

As of March, reckless driving continues on an upswing, according to Traffic Police.

From January to March, the police fined more than 1,200 drivers for failing to stop at a red light. This is double the number of drivers who were fined for the same cause last year, which was 599. Those drivers earned a fine of about $340 plus a four-point penalty on their license record.

In the same period, officers fined over 12,700 drivers for wrongful parking. They must pay about an $85 fine. The Traffic Law authorizes the officers to seize the license plates or even the vehicle for improper parking. In the same period last year, about 10,000 tickets were issued for the same fault.

Another top fine was driving within the restricted area in the city of San José. As of April, officers had issued over 1,500 citations, $35 tickets.

Restrictions for the daytime, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the zone inside the capital city, known as the Circunvalación Route, or so-called Route 39, which include all the streets that are within the capital city.

The schedule of cars banned in the capital is based on the plate's last number, as follows:

Monday plates ending in 1 or 2 are banned.

Tuesday plates ending in 3 or 4 are banned.

Wednesday plates ending in 5 or 6 are banned.

Thursday, plates ending in 7 or 8 are banned.

Friday plates ending in 9 or 0 are banned.

Saturday and Sunday the ban on the driving rule does not apply inside the capital.

Speeding is another issue for police. From January to April, there have been over 3,000 drivers fined for speeding. However, this figure shows a decrease compared to the same period last year, which were about 3,300.

The fine for driving over 80 miles per hour is about $500 in addition to the 6-point penalty on the driver's license. When a driver is penalized on their driving record, they are forced to retake the driving course and score a minimum of 80 points out of 100 to renew their driver's license.

Also, from January to March, 559 drivers were fined for carrying children without the proper safety devices. These numbers represent an increase compared to the same period of last year when 43 penalties were registered for the same fault.

The fine for not using safety devices is one of the most expensive ones established by the Traffic Law, about $345 plus the penalty of four points reduced on their driving record.

Also, during the same period, officers applied 4,741 DUI tests.

Last year over 360 people died in traffic accidents.

Traffic Police officers urge people to report suspects of speeding to the police by dialing the 911 emergency line.

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What are the penalties for reckless driving in your country? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com