DRIVING IN COSTA RICA

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN COSTA RICA

Road accidents are a major cause of lost years of life in Costa Rica, since they kill many teens and young adults.

CAUSES OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

The causes of these deaths are varied but mostly fit in the categories:

Lack of driver education for all drivers in the country

Poor geometric design of our roads.

Factors that increase the occurrence of accidents:

Some factors that increase the occurrence of accidents:

High rates of heavy traffic High Flux Road crossing populations The geometric vertical and horizontal Poor visibility Lack of breastworks Inability to exceed slow vehicles (and cyclists) Driving drunk, tired, young and inexperienced Distractions for drivers.

Furthermore, in terms of economic costs, as MOPT is estimated that road traffic injuries are a cost of 1% of GDP, and recovery for each shot, on average, costs more than 20 million colones

Historical trend in the number of people dying from traffic accidents in Costa Rica for the period

1997-2006

Chart 1 Number of people dying from traffic accidents in Costa Rica, by

sex, for the period 1997-2006

Año

Sexo

Total Masculino Femenino

1997 482 382 100

1998 652 524 128

1999 672 555 117

2000 665 548 117

2001 700 589 111

2002 669 562 107

2003 625 516 109

2004 628 521 107

2005 620 531 89

2006 681 559 122

Chart No. 2 Number of people killed per month in traffic accidents

in Costa Rica for the period 2004 - 2006

Mes

Año

2004 2005 2006

Total 628 620 681

Enero 52 50 53

Febrero 56 54 55

Marzo 44 44 50

Abril 63 62 65

Mayo 44 38 39

Junio 46 55 52

Julio 54 54 66

Agosto 44 50 43

Setiembre 51 56 59

Octubre 43 51 60

Noviembre 57 52 62

Diciembre 74 54 77

Driving Features

Driving in Costa Rica can often feel like an adventure sport in itself. A combination of unpredictable road conditions and aggressive drivers calls for visitors to be cautious whether navigating busy city streets or winding mountain roads.

Driving Features

Kamikaze drivers are found in every country, and Costa Rica is no exception.

Rush hour

Rush hour traffic congests San Jose and its outlying suburbs between 6:30-8:30 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. on weekdays.

Driving Tips

Take taxis if possible, especially at night.  They are cheap and everywhere.   

NEVER leave valuables in plain view in your car.

Driving Tips

When in San Jose or in slow traffic, do not leave anything valuable on the seat next to you.  

I urge you not to drive at night until you know the route first. 

Driving Tips

Keep your windows UP while at traffic lights in San Jose or in very slow traffic.   

There are traffic laws here, but there are no police to enforce them.  Ticos are... well ... creative drivers...  and most traffic laws are flaunted. 

Driving Tips

Be especially careful of motorcycles.  

If you rent a car, here is a common scam.

Driving Tips

If you rent a car, make sure you go over the car very carefully.  

Watch your gas!  In the central valley, there a a lot of gas stations (bombas), but where they are is the problem.

Driving Tips

Pedestrians and animals use or cross the highways everywhere.

 Night Driving on the

highway should be avoided. Additionally, in the mountains, domestic and wild animals often choose to sleep on the paved highway.

Driving Tips

Passing Slower Traffic is a national sport in Costa Rica.  

The mountain roads and highways provide very limited opportunity for passing and caution should be used.

Rules and regulations of the road:

Unless otherwise indicated, minimum speed on highways is 40 kilometers per hour (k.p.h.).

 On highways and

secondary roads the speed limit is 60 k.p.h., unless otherwise indicated.

 In urban areas, the speed

limit is 40 k.p.h., unless otherwise indicated.

Rules and regulations of the road:

Around school zones and in front of hospitals and clinics the speed limit is 25 k.p.h.

 Driving on beaches is

strictly prohibited everywhere.

 Driving under the

influence of alcohol and/or drugs is strictly prohibited.

Rules and regulations of the road:

The law requires all car passengers to wear a seat belt.

Pull over if a police officer signals you to do so.

 Your personal documents

and the vehicle's registration papers are private property and may not be retained by police officers for any reason.

Rules and regulations of the road:

If you are involved in an accident, always wait until a police officer arrives. You may also report the accident by calling 911 or 800-0123456.

  Under no circumstances give

money to traffic police or other police officers.

  If a police officer insists on

stopping you or retaining your documents for no apparent reason, ask him to escort you to the nearest police station to clear the problem.

Rules and regulations of the road:

If you believe a traffic police officer or any other police officer acted inappropriately or you have questions regarding their behavior, call 2257-7798, ext. 2506.

Drive confidently and stay alert. Do not stop for people making signals and never stop for hitchhikers.

Do not drive through or park your car in poorly lit areas.

Rules and regulations of the road:

Keep your car doors locked at all times.

  Check your car and make sure

you are carrying the proper documents before you begin to drive. I

Cabs are red with the license plate number painted in the middle of a yellow triangle on both doors. Airport cabs are orange. Cab drivers must carry visible identification in the cab, including their name and photograph. And the must use their meters for trips of 12 kilometers or less. For longer trips, the fare is negotiated beforehand.