Costa Rica’s new seat belt law has now come into force. In a major victory for road safety campaigners, backed by the FIA Foundation, the new legislation was published in Costa Rica’s Official Journal, La Gaceta, on 5th May 2004.
The legislation was approved by Cost Rica’s Parliament in a first debate on 23rd December 2003, following an awareness campaign funded by the FIA Foundation and lobbying by Costa Rica’s government and road safety campaigners, including the Automobile Club of Costa Rica. But opponents of the legislation consulted the Constitutional Court which issued a judgment in February that accepted compulsory seatbelt use for drivers but rejected it for car passengers, arguing that making drivers responsible for their passengers was unconstitutional. However the Parliament's Constitutional Committee decided to overrule the Court’s opinion and to maintain compulsory use for all. The legislation was finally approved on 13th April 2004, the day before a UN General Assembly debate on road safety. Coats Rica’s deputy transport minister, Karla Gonzalez, announced the success at the UN in New York.
Now that the law is in force, traffic police will allow Costa Ricans two weeks to get used to the new legislation. Tickets for not complying with the legislation will not be given until Thursday, 20th May. However a driver then caught not wearing his seatbelt will be charged 8,000 colones (which represents 5% of a minimum salary) and will also have to pay a fine for any unrestrained passengers. An evaluation is taking place of the seat belt awareness campaign, which saw the FIA Foundation seat belt crash demonstrator being used across the country, thousands of leaflets and stickers distributed, and TV, radio and roadside ads.