Most Legislators Support Higher Traffic Fines
Legislative deputies of the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC) and the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) said they will back the proposal before the Comisión de Asuntos Jurídicos del Congreso that would increase traffic fines and allows for stiff sanctions against drunk driving.

The bill is still in the legislative commission study phase but could soon be before the legislature for discussion and voting.

Bienvenido Venegas fo the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC), however, said that the fines are too high. "I am in favour of raising fines, but not to the point that people cannot pay", said Venegas.

The new traffic fines would increase fines for speeding, being under the influence and for being drunk while driving, improper lane changes and passing on solid lines, and including not wearing a seatbelt, for example. Currently traffic fines are between ¢5.000 and ¢30.000 colones for many offences while the new fines, if passed in its present form, would escalate to as high as ¢364.000 colones.

Other legislators, like Mario Quirós of the Movimiento Libertario, agree that there is an urgent neet to approve the new Ley de Tránsito" is also opposed to the high fines. Quirós argues that it is a question of education and is of the opinion that punishment is more of a detriment that fines. "The driver who has his license suspended for drunk driving and continues to drive drunk while his license is suspended should go to jail", said Quirós.

According to Quirós the situation is solved by only fining, but by involving the person in addiction programs. The legislator also added that the new proposal does not go far enough to make public officials responsible for road safety. "There is a need to solve the problems of road infrastructure and bad signalization, a cause of many accidents", said Quirós.

For their part, Grettel Ortiz of the PAC, and Alexánder Mora, of the PLN, said that their group are fully behind the proposal and the fines established by the government and more important the mood of many legislators is to have the bill approved quickly.

The proposal will increase fines for speeding and street racing (piques) from the current ¢26.000 colones to ¢364.000 colones.

For drivers who allow children to ride without buckling up, the fine goes from the current ¢13.000 to ¢260.000.

Fines for drivers who are under the influence, that is their blood alcohol content is between 0.5 and 0.99 miligrams, the fine goes from the current ¢13.000 to ¢234.000 colones. Driving drunk, that is the blood alcohol content is above the 0.99, the fine goes from the current ¢26.000 to ¢364.000 colones.

Other fines that will affect the pocket book are things like not placing reflective tape on trucks or trailers weighing over 4.000 kilos, raising the fine from the current ¢13.000 to ¢130.000 colones; and driving with an expired driver's license the fine goes from the current ¢2.600 colones to ¢104.000 colones.