Costa Rica’s Drastic New Traffic Laws and Big Fines!

Costa Ricans are not known for being the most careful of drivers and the latest statistics from the police shows that many drivers are paying as much attention to the traffic fines as they are to red traffic lights…

77,400 drivers (90%) who have been fined under the new, drastic traffic laws in Costa Rica have not yet paid their fines.




At the present time, it would appear that drivers may not appreciate how important it is to pay these fines immediately otherwise they will be charged a penalty of 3% per month and since these new fines can be significant, that total can add up fast!









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So don’t think about doing an illegal U-turn, or driving through a red traffic light, or using a cellphone without a ‘hands free’ device because you could be fined 220,050 colones which is about US$429




Not having a driving license or neglecting to have your baby in a baby seat could mean a fine of 293,400 colones which is about US$572




If not paid at all, the fine is tied to the registration of the car in the governments’ records so that when a non-payer has to renew the driving license or pay the annual marchamo (car tax), the fine (plus penalties) must be paid before either can be completed.




There’s a simple and easy way to avoid getting into trouble which is to obey the traffic laws and drive carefully…




So please buckle up, if you must use your cellphone only use it with a hands-free device and drive con cuidado. Carefully!

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Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1. Costa Rica Real Estate Scams & How To Avoid Them, 2. How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, and 3. Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.