Monday 18 August
2008, San José, Costa Rica
Gasoline Price
Won't Be Dropping in Costa Rica
Guevara Announces His
Presidential Candidacy
Pedestrian Imprudence
Third Cause Of Traffic
Deaths
Isla del Coco Gets
Cellular Service
Caribbean Marina Project
Shelved
Blood Donation
Bribery
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Pedestrian Imprudence
Third Cause Of Traffic
Deaths
Pedestrian imprudence is
the reason for many
deaths on Costa Rica's
roads. According to
figures releases by the
Obras Públicas y
Transportes (MOPT), 33
people lost their lives
between January and July
this year.
The numbers are alarming
and top deaths of
cyclists, becoming the
number three cause of
traffic accidents.
The number two cause of
traffic accident deaths
is drunk driving with 35
deaths and speeding,
causing 55 fatalities in
the same period.
Officials of the Policía
de Tránsito say that
many of the pedestrian
fatalities could have
been avoided if they had
used the overhead
passes, cross at traffic
lights and at corners.
Pedestrians frequently
dash across busy
highways like the
General Cañas in the
areas of the Plaza
Cariari and the Fernando
Prospero in Escazú or
dash out into traffic
stepping off a bus, not
paying attention to the
oncoming traffic.
It is also common to see
people begin to cross a
road, aware of an
oncoming vehicle, but
unable to properly
calcuate the speed and
distance of the vehicle
or believing that a
vehicle can come to a
full stop in an instant.
And not uncommon for
people to cross the
highway under the
pedestrian overpasses in
front of the Cariari
Plaza, or hospital
México or CIMA. Although
the MOPT has erected a
divider fence to
frustrate pedestrians,
holes in the fences have
been made or take the
time to walk around the
fence and made a mad
dash rather than use the
overhead pass.
Tránsito officials say
that many see road
safety as a subject for
drivers and not all that
use the public roads.
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