DRUNK DRIVING - What is considered a Drunk Driver in Costa Rica & What are the Fines?

Hey - I respect that each country•state creates their own laws but when it comes to Drunk Drivers, having lost too many friends, family & loved ones (including a boyfriend) to these SELFISH people - to ME, the penalties couldn't be high enough!!!

Sadly, Costa Rica does NOT seem to treat Drunk Driving as seriously as I would like to see it.
Hence - this puts YOUR LIFE AT RISK EVERY TIME you go onto the roads -
whether you're driving or walking!!



ESPECIALLY around:

PAYDAYS

(which tend to main fall either the 30th or 1st & 15th of each month [or the Friday before if one of those days falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday)

PAYDAY WEEKENDS

FESTIVALS & PARADES
Be ESPECIALLY CAREFUL driving during the major festivals as they're HUGE drunk driving breeding grounds!!  Of course the areas nearest to them are bad, but these fools come from far to partake in these wild times.

HOLIDAYS

HOLIDAY BREAKS:

Samana Sante•Easter
People often get at least that Wednesday afternoon, Thursday & Friday off  (giving them a 4 1/2 day weekend) - OR - the WHOLE WEEK off.
& though that Thursday & Friday are the highest holy days of the year for Costa Ricans
(Holy Thursday•Day of Ascension & Good Friday)
were most things are closed (except in tourist areas)
& MANY cities still have "DRY LAWS" in effect those 2 days where you can NOT BUY ALCOHOL from 12:01am till 11:59pm during those specific days [Thursday & Friday]
(more information on Dry Laws at:
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2015/03/DryLawSamanaSantaCR.html)

people seem to find plenty of alcohol to get drunk & drive on!

Christmas & New Years
MANY people get the 2 full weeks off - starting the weekend just before Christmas

WHAT IS CONSIDERED A DRUNK DRIVER IN COSTA RICA:

BREATHALYZER NUMBERS:0.75 grams of alcohol for the public.  0.50 for Professional Drivers•people that drive a vehicle for a living (like taxi drivers & bus drivers [I'm not positive about truck drivers])

BLOOD TEST NUMBERS:
0.25-0.38 milligrams


NUMBERS:
DRUNK DRIVING - DEATHS:
INCREASED 46% January-August 2015
19 deaths (vs 13 deaths in 2014)

DRUNK DRIVING - ARRESTS:
1,350 - January-August 2015


FINES • POINTS • PENALTIES: 
FINE:
306,449-c ($566)
PLUS

POINTS DEDUCTED FROM YOUR DRIVER LICENSE:
1st Offense:
6 points.
2 times or more:
They loose 12+ points and the Driver License is suspended for 1 year
UNLESS
they drive a car for a living & their Driver License is ONLY suspended for 6 months.

Drunk driving in Costa Rica does NOT result in jail time & offenders are usually released once processed. 

I’ve heard that vehicles being impounded &/or license plate confiscation CAN happen - BUT I have not found yet at what level.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
resulting from drunken driving are treated severely (I'm trying to find specifically what that means) & offenders risk jail time, fines & financial responsibility for all damages incurred. 


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VICKI'S OPINION ON DRUNK DRIVING LAWS IN COSTA RICA & DRUNK DRIVERS

Let me preface this by sharing that I've had numerous friends, family & a boyfriend DIE from drunk drivers - so I have 0•ZERO TOLERANCE for them!!!!

Don't ya love the way things are often watered down in this country:
"The driver, whose name was not released to the press, was found driving impaired and driving recklessly"
Call it was it is - the schmuck was driving drunk & in my opinion should have the book thrown at him - but - as long as the government gives hardly any consequences for Drunk Driving (it's practically a slap on the wrist compared to how serious this is) - people are going to keep doing it & people are going to continue to die.

This puts YOUR LIFE AT RISK EVERY TIME you go onto the roads -
whether you're driving or walking!!


Does anyone know if a breathalizer test is fully accurate & holds up in court in Costa Rica??




CALIFORNIA:
http://dui.drivinglaws.org/california.php
.08 (.04 for commercial drivers.  2nd time .01)
Jail:      4 days-6 months    10 days-1 year   120 days-1 year   16 months
Fines/Pen  up to $1,000     up to $1,800       up to $1,800         up to $18,000
Lice Susp:  30 days-10 mth  2 years             3 years                 4 years

Florida Penalties for DUI 1st Conviction
    Fine - $250 to $500
    Community Service - 50 Hours
    Probation - Not more than 1 Year
    Imprisonment - Not more than 6 Months
    Imprisonment with BAL of .08 or higher with a minor in the vehicle, not more than 9 months
    License Revocation - Minimum of 180 days
    DUI School - 12 Hours

NY - http://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/penalties-alcohol-or-drug-related-violations
1st - $1,000-$2,500   1 year jail  license revoked for at least 1 year
2nd - $1,000-$5,000   4 year jail  license revoked for at least 18 months
3rd - $2,000-$10,000  7 year jail  license revoked for at least 18 months

ILLINOIS - http://www.dmv.org/il-illinois/automotive-law/dui.php:
 immediately suspend your license. You will be given a receipt that will allow you to continue driving (after your arrest, time to dry out in jail, bail, and arraignment) for 45 days and allow you time to fight the arrest and suspension. After that, your suspension goes into effect. License Statutory Summary Suspensions for a 1st offense are as follows:
    Driver's license revocation:
        21 years old and over: 1 year.
        Under 21 years old: 2 years.
    Maximum imprisonment: 6 months
    Minimum fine: $1,000
    Community service.
    Drug and alcohol program.
    Motor vehicle registration revocation.
Illinois estimates that the minimum cost of a first DUI conviction is about $16,580. Where does this money go? To bail, bond, attorney fees, fines, court-ordered assessments, remedial education or treatment programs, and insurance premiums up to triple what they were before.


(as one that's known MANY people DIE because of drunk drivers - I think this is pretty weak but . . .   What do YOU think???)


PLEASE - for the sake of each other (if you don't care about yourself)
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NEVER EVER

Drink and Drive!!!!


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LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2014/07/DrunkDrivingInCR.html
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