Return Home A Smooth One
The Policía de Tránsito
were pleasantly
surprised at the calm
and uneventful return
home from the beaches
and resorts this
weekend. Expecting
massive traffic jams and
having to attend to
traffic accidents as
some 1.5 million people
make their way back to
the Central Valley and
San Jose after spending
the holidays away from
home.
Huanelger Gutiérrez,
subdirector of the
Policía de Tránsito,
explained that the
intensive display of
police presence at major
points across the
nation's highways and
the restriction of heavy
vehicles helped prevent
traffic jams.
One area that is prone
to congestion, the area
around the Juan
Santamaría international
airport, was
surprisingly smooth
flowing.
"The return home has
been over several days,
helping avoid
congestion", said
Gutiérrez.
In the past, Sunday
afternoons was when
every one decided that
it was time to call an
end to the vacation and
make they way home. The
traffic jams caused by
the last minute decision
meant that a two hour
ride home became four
and even six hours or
more.
Drunk driving and
reckless driving was
also the focus of
Tránsito officials.
Armed with the recently
passed Ley de Tránsito
under their belt and the
reports in the media
helped curb the national
tradition of having one
too many and then
getting behind the
wheel.
In addition, banks, save
the Improsa, were all
closed Friday and
Saturday and the 200.000
or so who couldn't pay
the 2009 Marchamo
decided to stay off the
roads until today
(Monday) and avoid being
fined, have the license
place and possibly their
vehicle confiscated.
Gutiérrez would not
confirm yesterday the
exact number of license
plates confiscated, only
saying it was a great
number.
In total 172 drivers
have been charged since
the implementation of
the new Ley de Tránsito
on December 23, 2008.
The drivers will now
face a criminal trial
and could be sentenced
up to three years in
prison and lose their
license for two years.
Today (Monday) the
vehicular restrictions
of San José is back in
force. The restrictions
are from 6am to 7pm,
Monday to Friday and
depends on the last
digit of the vehicle's
license plate: 1 & 2 for
Mondays; 3 & 4 for
Tuesdays; 5 & 6 for
Wednesdays; 7 & 8 for
Thursdays; and, 9 & 0
for Fridays.
The fine for violating
the vehicular
restriction is ¢5.000
plus court costs, which
brings the total to
about ¢6.500 colones. |
