The massive checkpoints that the National Traffic Security Directorate of the Police ordered to be placed last week throughout the country, especially in Managua, confirmed General Commissioner Jaime Vanegas, in his weekly report on the Road Emergency Plan, resulted in the arrest of 432 people, who were driving without carrying any type of document authorizing them.
“We have 432 people who were arrested for driving without any document, they are not accredited, they do not have a driver’s license,” said Vanegas.
In addition, he warned that all people found driving without having the corresponding permit will be detained, if it is the first time, for a period of 24 hours, and if they are repeat offenders for up to 72 hours.
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Vanegas explained that as an institution they also reserve “the right to take criminal action for exposing people to danger,” especially in the case of repeat drivers, caught behind the wheel without their respective driver’s license.
The “Law for the Vehicular Circulation Regime and Traffic Violations”, Law 431, establishes among the list of “violations of traffic admission rules”, in its sections 56 and 58, “driving with an expired license” and ” driving without having a license”, respectively. These infractions, according to said legislation, will be punished with monetary fines of 250 and 160 córdobas, respectively. However, it does not specify detention for the periods specified by Vanegas as their sanction.
Drunk drivers will continue to serve 48 hours in detention
He highlighted that in the case of drivers who have licenses who are detected in a state of intoxication, detention for a period of 48 hours is maintained as a measure.
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“We do not see it as a coercive measure, we believe it is preventive, because it is preferable to be detained for 48 hours in a police station and later be delivered safely to your family, than to crash or cause accidents with injuries,” added the Ortega official.
Between October 21 and 27, the police institution arrested 76 drivers who were behind the wheel while intoxicated and 358 driver’s licenses were suspended. So far this year, from January 1 to October 27, according to the report presented by Vanegas, 5,195 people have been arrested for committing said violation and 36,180 driver’s licenses have been suspended.
Traffic accidents in Nicaragua have claimed the lives of 772 people so far in 2024. In addition, they have left 2,250 people injured.
The Police warned that they will continue with these plans to identify offending drivers, who are without driver’s licenses, with expired permits or who are behind the wheel while intoxicated, especially during weekends.
@visionpolicial Police point out that drivers without documentation or who drive while intoxicated are imprisoned #45TogetherWithTheCommunity ♬ original sound – Nicaragua Police Vision
