Lack Of Controls Result in Accidents, San Carlos Tránsito Chief Admits
The Policía de Tránsito in the "Zona Norte" (Northern Zone) recognize that there is a need for more control on the roads in the area to avoid accidents like the one occurred on Monday when a stake truck carrying 21 local area workers.

The truck, loaded with Nicaraguan labourers flipped on its side injuring the majority of the passengers, is just one example of the problems on the roads of the area that the Policía de Tránsito say they aim to put an end to.

The Ministerio de Transportes (Transport Ministry) requires that vehicles use benches so that passengers ride sitting. However, the generality is that this requirement is not complied with and the majority of the trucks don't count with the benches and passengers ride standing.

In addition, another problem that needs to be tackled by the Policía de Tránsito is to ensure that the trucks have the necessary permits to carry passengers.

The truck in the Monday accident, carrying 18 of the passengers in the cargo area, did not have the permit and neither did the the driver have a drivers license.

"The area to Los Chiles and the surrounding 50 kilometres is where we a complete lack of attention, there is not enough equipment, to even think about patrolling the area. I believe this is one of the major factors in these types of accidents, where we find big trucks and pick-ips carrying people in the cargo area, without permits, without insurance and without the proper conditions to carry people..." said Luis Ramirez, chief of the Policía de Tránsito in San Carlos.

Ramirez and his officials admit that this happens because of a lack of control on the roads, especially the back roads of the area.

Meanwhile, of the 21 injured in the Monday's accident, three are still in hospital. Jairo Mendoza is delicate condition in the San Carlos hospital, while the other two are stable and recovering at the Hospital México in San José.