Last Wednesday, new traffic regulations that had been under study since 2018 were approved; Through the Municipal Board, the implementation of technology to control vehicular traffic and obtain greater street order is mentioned.
A new Traffic Regulation was defined by the National Traffic and Road Safety Agency together with the Municipal Board and the Paraguayan Organization for Intermunicipal Cooperation (OPACI), mentioning several points of great importance for road safety in Asunción. The new regulations were repealed after 12 years. These new modifications were made with a view to “adapting to the future” in a conscious and safe way.
Fernando Machuca, Director of Traffic and Transportation, said that for some time they had been seeking to adapt the regulations to the new times and specifically to the law. They finally managed to reach an agreement with the Municipal Board and also with the Municipal Traffic Police. The product has three main axes: compliance with Law No. 5016, implementation of technologies for traffic control and management, and standardization of traffic signals. Machuca also mentioned that they seek to persuade the use of private vehicles and encourage the use of public transport, which clearly also needs greater control and improvement.
They do not have an exact date of implementation
At the moment there are some rigorous administrative procedures, which have a promulgation process by the mayor, which still prevent knowing an exact date for the application of these guidelines. Other advantages that would be coming into force would be a modern traffic control center with, soon, greater radar technology, traffic lights linked by fiber optics, among others. With this, it is sought that the municipality enters the technological era and adapts to the new advances that are presented today.
Road safety will be directly observed by intelligent equipment capable of detecting infractions of drivers, such as the non-use of seat belts in the passenger compartments, improper use of cell phones, or any other type of distraction that was occurring. Everything related to traffic can be monitored from the Advanced Traffic Control Center located on the Asunción waterfront. The fines, on the other hand, will arrive directly at the driver’s home in a digital way without printing or the use of the commonly known carbon papers.
They also seek the implementation of skateboards, electric bicycles, normal bikes and exclusive lanes. It is worth mentioning that while the new provisions come into force, the problems of potholes, broken pipes and streets in poor condition continue, which apparently do not receive any kind of attention from the institutions in charge.
