Tránsito In A Show Of Force Days
Before New Ley de Tránsito Takes Effect
With only days before the new Ley de
Tránsito takes effect, the Ministerio de
Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) is
getting ready for a strong presence of
traffic police on the roads, with no less
than 800 Tránsito (traffic) officials on the
roads.
The law that was passed last December is set
to take effect on September 23, 2009, unless
legislators move quickly on a motion to
postpone the enforcement date to March 23,
2010.
The new Ley de Tránsito has generated
controversy since its passing and expected
to be challenged in the Constitutional Court
once it takes effect, critics saying that
the law is flawed.
While the political debate continues, the
ministra del MOPT, Karla González, has
ordered the Policía de Tránsito to become
proactive in the days leading up to the
change and for traffic officials to undergo
training on the new rules of the road.
According German Marín, director de Tránsito,
his officials will be concentrating mainly
on drinking and driving and speeding once
the law takes effect.
Marín added that even though the focus will
be on those items, his officials will not
let slide infractions like talking on a cell
phone while driving, not carrying a drivers
license and not using a seatbelt, for
instance, infractions that will carry fines
up to 20 times the current.
Also all Tránsito officials are to undergo a
20 hour training course that is being given
at the various police command stations in
San José, Pérez Zeledón, Río Claro,
Siquirres, Palmares, Cañas, Cartago,
Puntarenas and Alajuela.
The MOPT in the last several weeks has been
also training a traffic court judges,
prosecutors, inspectors and transportation
officials on the new law.
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