by Adriana Fernández H.
For those of you here on vacation who plan to rent a car, there are new fines regarding traffic laws that you should pay close attention to that will soon be in affect. And of course, don’t forget to always keep your license and passport with you when driving. The following is a short, but important list of some of the new stipulations and their corresponding fines:
227.000 Colons (approx. $391)
- Reckless driving Category A, which includes driving with a blood alcohol level equal to or higher than 0.5% grams per liter of blood, driving under the influence of drugs, driving above 120 km per hour or overtaking cars in a reckless manner.
- Driving without a license or a temporary learner’s permit.
- Driving with a suspended license.
- Neglecting to properly secure minors in a car seat (babies) or booster seat (children under the age of 12).
- Driving three or four wheeled vehicles accompanied by a minor who doesn’t use a helmet.
170.250 Colons (approx. $293)
- Driving without a seatbelt or allowing passengers to ride without using a seatbelt.
113.500 Colons (approx. $195)
- Driving on the beach.
90.800 Colons (approx. $156)
- Exceeding the limit for number of passengers for the particular car.
68.100 Colons (approx. $117)
- Driving with an expired license or, as a foreigner, driving beyond the three month limit without obtaining a Costa Rican license.
45.400 Colons (approx. $78)
- Driving without your license in your possession at the time of the stop.
According to the information given by the Road Security Council, or COSEVI as it is known in Costa Rica, if a traveler is stopped by an officer and receives a traffic fine in a rental car, it will be his-her responsibility to inform the rental car company upon returning the car, at which time they may then choose to have the amount of the fine deducted from the deposit. If they do not inform the rental car company and neglect to pay their fine before leaving the country, the full amount of the fine will be charged to the rental car company at the end of the year without their prior knowledge when the company renews their right to circulate the vehicle. So, if you do happen to suffer the unfortunate circumstance of receiving a ticket in Costa Rica using a rental car, it will be left up to you to pay with your credit card, or with your conscience.
