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09 March 2010
CHANGES TO
THIS LAW ARE IN PROCESS.
Legislators have been amending a
number of items, like points, drunk
driving and speeding limits and are
expected to change the fines as
well. We will be updating the
publication once all
the changes are announced.
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On
March 1, 2010, there will
come into effect a sweeping
legislation intended to transform
Costa Rica's roadways from the
hazardous - free for -all that has
developed in recent decades, into a
network occupied by safe,
conscientious and prepared drivers.
Shorty's Guide To The 2000 Ley de
Tránsito is a complete guide for the
English speaking driver to know the
rules and be prepared for the
changes, that include:
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Computerization of
Licenses, where
points are deducted
for infractions
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Dramatic increase in
the amount of fines
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Safety seats for all
minors under 12
years of age
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Harsh penalties and
jail time for
driving under the
influence
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Immediate loss of
license for multiple
offences
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New devices
requirements, like
hands free cell
phone adaptor, fire
extinguisher, first
aid kit, GPS
transponder, etc.
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Sanctions for left
lane slow pokes and
no passing on right,
even on multiple
lane highways
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Foreigners and their
drivers license
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Pedestrians will be
required to cross at
a corner or
crosswalk |
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The accumulation
of 50 points
means an
automatic 2 year
suspension.
The first time.
Subsequent
suspensions can
be for life.
Accumulating
50 points is
easy:
speeding
in excess of 120
km/h; driving
without a
license or with
a suspended
license; drunk
driving with
blood alcohol
level between
0.5 and 0.75 |
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Accumulating 50 points is
easy!
Examples of infraction
combinations:
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Running a red light
and a stop sign
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Speeding, not
wearing a seatbelt,
using a cell phone
while driving
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Blocking traffic,
speeding in front of
a hospital, not
carrying booster
cables or first aid
kit, too many
passengers |
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Driving with a
0.50 blood alcohol content,
driving at more than 120
Km/h or not strapping in
child under the age of 12 on
March 1, 2010, comes with a heavy
fine and license suspension.
Reckless criminal driving
is another a major change in
September. Driving over 150
Km/h or taking part in any
type of street racing will
mean an automatic license
suspension and jail time!
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO THE
POINT SYSTEM
Get the guide today!
Perhaps the biggest change
come March 1, 2010, that will
affect all drivers at one
time or another is the
amount of the fines.
Drivers in Costa Rica are
used to fines that as so low
that many drivers justify it
as "the cost of doing
business".
However, come March 1, 2010, ,
the drivers will have to
have deeper pockets or begin
to obey the rules of the
road, as many fines go from
˘5.000 to as high as
˘227.000 colones for
everyday occurrences of
passing a vehicle on the
right, driving too slow in
the left lane, blocking
traffic at an intersection
and not giving pedestrians
the right of way.
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Also, the new Ley de
Tránsito, affects
non-drivers.
Pedestrians will
have to also obey
many of the new
rules of the road,
like crossing the
street at a corner
or pedestrian
crosswalk. |
Foreigners and
Tourists
The new Ley de
Tránsito also
affects foreigners
and tourists and
their ability to
drive in Costa Rica.
Foreigners can
continue to driver
with a foreign
driver's license
during their "legal"
stay in Costa Rica,
after which time
they are required to
obtain a Costa Rican
driver's license.
Foreigners not doing
so may have their
ability to obtain a
Costa Rican driver's
license. Shorty's
Guide to the 2009
Ley de Tránsito
explains the rules! |
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Shorty's Guide to the
2009 Ley de Tránsito
also touches on items like
the Vehicular Restrictions
of San José, the conditions
of the roads in Costa Rica,
with stats and figures, a
catalogue of official road
signs which are used in
Costa Rica and their
translations, a general
highway map of Costa Rica, a
chart with driving times,
emergency phone numbers to
the Tránsito delegations
around the country, list of
hospitals used to take
accident victims to and a
translation into English of
the full text of the Nueva
Ley de Tránsito.
Please note.
Shorty's Guide to the
2009 Ley de Tránsito was
prepared for an effective
date of September 23, 2009.
On September 17, 2009,
legislators chose to extend
the effective date to March
1, 2010. The publication
will be updated as soon as
the changes are made
available and everyone who
has purchased a copy will be
sent the updated
version.
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