Fewer Traffic Accidents
in San José Attributed
To The Vehicular
Restrictions
The expanded vehicular
restrictions of San José
us being attributed for
the reduction of traffic
accidents during the
first 15 days after
going into affect,
according to the Policía
de Tránsito (traffic
police), who are very
pleased with the
results.
Huanelgue Gutiérrez,
subdirector of the
Tránsito, explained that
the lower accident rate
is due to less
vehicles on the road,
as traffic accidents dropped from an average
of 140 daily
to between 70 and 80
since the expanded
restrictions went into
effect.
Gutiérrez added that the
accident rate is
expected to drop even
further since the
restriction is now
during 6am and 7pm
weekdays, meaning fewer
cars in San José all
day, when vehicles
are prohibited from
circulating the San José
metropolitan area based
on the last digit of the
license plate.
The original restriction
of the downtown core was
expanded to include the
area bounded by the
Circunvalación on the west,
south and east of San
José and Calle Blancos
and La Uruca on the
north.
Some drivers, however,
are not happy with the
expanded restrictions
that were only in effect during
morning and afternoon
rush hours and now
all day,
especially those drivers
who live within a few
blocks of work and home,
separated by the
restricted area
boundary.
The all day restriction
began on Thursday when
Tránsito officials wrote up over 700
drivers for violating
the restrictions. At the
end of the day Friday
the Policía de Tránsito
reports only writing up
510 drivers (434
passenger vehicles and
76 light trucks).
The real test of the
effect of the
restrictions will begin
on Monday, July 21, when
students return back to
classes and the mid year
vacationers are back to
work.
Critics of the expanded
vehicular restriction
say the lighter traffic
is because a large
number of people have
been on vacation since
the beginning of last
week, meaning less cars
on the road. |
