First Of
Drunk
Drivers To Jail!
With the publication of
the new Ley de Tránsito
yesterday in the
official government
publication, La Gaceta,
Germán Marín, director
of the Policía de
Tránsito, confirmed that
the "criminal" sanctions
went into effect
immediately, the first
drunk driver stopped at
8am and was hauled off
to the criminal courts.
Although the fines and
the rest of the offences
go into effect in nine
months, drivers caught
with more than 0.75
blood alcohol content,
speeding in excess of
150 k/mh or taking part
in "picones" (street
racing), the penalties
are already being
enforced.
Marín explained that
drunk drivers face one
to three years in prison
and that it went into
force the moment La
Gaceta was published
yesterday. On Monday
Transport officials has
said the criminal
provisions would not be
applied until January 8,
2009.
Yesterday, the first
cases of drunk drivers
occurred in San José,
where drivers were
surprised being hauled
off by members of the
Fuerza Pública (police)
to face the judges of
the Tribunales de
Goicoechea. The drunk
drivers were handed over
to the Fiscales
(prosecutors) of the "delitos
en Flagrancia".
The first drunk driver
of the tough traffic
laws was found driving a
Isuzu Rodeo on Avenida
Segunda by the BCR
building. Identified by
his last name only,
Piedra, the driver was
escorted to the
courthouse and his
vehicle impounded.
Another driver,
identified as Herrera,
was caught driving a
taxi in Moravia with a
3.5 blood alcohol
content, which is
translated into 18
drinks.
The new law has a zero
tolerance for anyone
found with 0.75 and
over. The law does not
sanction the driver with
a fine, only by a prison
term and the
accumulation of 50
demerit points,
resulting in a loss of
license for two years on
a first offence.
Last night, Tránsito
officials as well as
officials of the Fuerza
Pública (police) had set
up numerous spotchecks.
some of which were
located within an
eyeball view of local
bars, like the case in
Pavas, near the US
embassy, to detect drunk
driving.
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