The highest fines of â‚¡306,850 ($533) will apply for drivers who refuse to take a breathalyzer test or for owners of vehicles causing noise above the allowed decibel limit.
Traffic Police Director Mario Calderón said that he does not believe the reduction in fines will prompt an increase in traffic violations, as they do not represent a significant change.
President Luis Guillermo SolÃs is asking the legislature to let him hire more than 1,000 new traffic officers, among other measures the government is pursuing in hopes of alleviating traffic.
Violations to Costa Rica’s Traffic Law will cost motorists an average of 1 percent more starting next month, after Costa Rica's judicial branch approved increases of up to ₡3,126 ($5.75) according to the category of the fine.
Traffic Police reported that 19 people died in drunk driving accidents from January through August, a 46 percent increase over the same time period last year.
Lawmakers revived the bill to replace prison time with monetary fines for blocking roads the day before private chauffeurs or "porteadores" protested a new special taxi regulation by blocking public roads across the country, snarling traffic.
For the duration of the two-week vacation period, Traffic Police will maintain 15 roadway checkpoints throughout the country and will designate a total of 744 officers, 152 police cars and 217 motorcycles for surveillance efforts.
