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Don't Be Victim To Corrupt
Traffic Cops,
Know Your Rights
The Ministerio de Obras Públias
y Transportes has been running a
series of ads in the local
Spanish language newspapers all
week to inform drivers in Costa
Rica their rights on the road.
The objective of the campaign is
to inform the public the
conditions of when a Tránsito
(traffic) official can
confiscate a vehicle and the
public not fall victim of a
corrupt official who will use
the threat of confiscating a
vehicle as pressure to extort a
bribe.
The ads state the only
conditions when Tránsito
(traffic) can confiscate a
vehicle:
... when serious injury or
damage to third parties
... driving under the influence
of alcohol
... if the vehicle does not have
license plates
... the annual marchamo is not
paid
... if the driver does not a
drivers license on his or her
person
... if a vehicle is blocking a
public road
... if the vehicle is not duly
registered
... if the driver of the vehicle
is not licensed
The advertising also spells out
the procedure in the event a
Tránsito official has to
confiscate a vehicle, telling
the public that the official has
to take a full inventory of the
vehicle and its contents and
must give the driver/owner of
the vehicle a copy.
In the event of accident, the
driver/owner should not be
pressured by a Tránsito into
towing the vehicle to a specific
repair shop or two truck, the
public has the right to choose
who will two the vehicle and
where.
The ad is clear that a Tránsito
cannot confiscate a vehicle
because the driver/owner decides
to have the vehicle towed by two
truck and shop of choice.
The MOPT says it wants the
public to know the "ley de
tránsito" (transit law) and
their rights.
Foreigners driving on Costa
Rican roads have the same
obligation and rights and Costa
Rican citizens.
Foreigners can drive
legally using a drivers license
issued in their home country,
state or province, as
long as their visitors visa is
in valid.
Foreigners can alsoobtain a
Costa Rican driver's license by
simply presenting their existing
license during their valid
visitors visa period.
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