HomeArchiveCosta Rica traffic law sees 1st big bump in the road

Costa Rica traffic law sees 1st big bump in the road

A woman arrested with a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit is temporarily off the hook after a judge suspended all reckless driving trials until discrepancies between the newly passed Traffic Law and the country´s Penal Code can be resolved.

David Hernández, a judge in the fast-track court, known as the Tribunal de Flagrancia, says the new law does not specify sufficient criteria, including what and where a person is driving, to judge the event.

Crisan Acuña was arrested at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 1. She allegedly registered a 2.24 blood-alcohol level, well above the 0.75 legal limit, and is charged with reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. She is free until the courts resolve the matter and can address her case again.

This is the first serious legal challenge to the much-criticized reformed Traffic Law, which was enacted Dec. 23.

Trending Now

Canadian Says She Lost $350,000 to Costa Rica Community Now Under Fraud Investigation

A Canadian woman says she sold everything she owned and lost about $350,000 to a religious community in the southern area of Pérez Zeledón,...

Quetzal Recorded for the First Time at Little-Known Cartago Refuge

A resplendent quetzal has turned up somewhere few birders would think to look for one. The bird was recorded at La Marta Wildlife Refuge...

Ruling Party Files Bill That Would Let Rodrigo Chaves Run Again in 2030

Legislators from Costa Rica's ruling Pueblo Soberano party filed a constitutional reform on Tuesday that would allow presidents to serve consecutive terms. Its backers...

Costa Rica’s Native Stingless Bees at Center of Supreme Court Fight

Costa Rica's tiny native bees have become the center of a legal battle that could affect beekeepers, honey producers and efforts to protect some...

Scarlet Macaws Start Nesting in Costa Rica, and You Can Watch Live

Scarlet macaws are pairing off on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Watch 11 live nest cams, with first chicks due by January.

El Salvador’s Marcelo Arévalo Qualifies for ATP Finals Despite Vienna Upset

El Salvador’s Marcelo Arévalo and Croatian partner Mate Pavić have secured their place in the 2026 ATP Finals for the third consecutive year, although...

Lufthansa to Drop Costa Rica Route in 2027 as Sister Airline Adds More Flights

German airline Lufthansa will stop operating its flights to Costa Rica in December 2027, but travelers will not lose the connection to Europe. Instead,...

What Driving to San Ramón Could Cost You Each Month in New Tolls

If you drive Route 1 between San José and the Western Valley, the planned expansion to San Ramón will come with four toll stations....

Costa Rica Banks Rank Second Only to Argentina for Dollar Risk, Moody’s Says

Costa Rica's banking system is among the most exposed in Latin America to a sudden squeeze on dollar funding, second only to Argentina, according...
Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel