According to Germán Marín, Transit Director for MOPT, traffic cops have arrested 180 drunk drivers in holiday operatives designed to reduce fatalaties and accidents.  230 cars were impounded, with the  additional cars having out of date papers or unlicensed drivers at the wheel.

Unfortunately, these operatives did not prevent 5 fatalities in traffic accidents Saturday night.  This brought the 2006 total to 330 deaths, the largest since 2003 with 363.  However, this represents a 19% increase over 2005.

Principal causes were cited as risk-taking pedestrians, drunk drivers and excess speed.  4 of every 10 deaths were pedestrians. Marín said that “I would dare to say that 90% of these cases were because the pedestrian was imprudent, either not using a pedestrian bridge or wearing dark clothing while walking in the street at night.”

In November a bill was sent to the legislature which would raise significantly the fines for traffic violations.