Ley 63 del 2006

(No. 63)

(Approved February 17, 2006)

AN ACT

To amend subsection

(j) of Section 8.02 of Act No. 22 of January 7, 2000, as amended, known as the "Puerto Rico Vehicle and Traffic Act" in order to increase the amount of the fine imposed for running through a red light to two hundred and fifty (250) dollars.

STATEMENT OF MOTIVES

Each year, hundreds of Puerto Ricans lose their lives in traffic accidents. According to official statistics of the Puerto Rico Police, in 2003, the number of deaths on the roads amounted to four hundred and seventy (470). In 2004, the official numbers of the Police showed a pattern similar to that of the previous year.

Many of the deaths that occur in our roads are the result of violations to Act No. 22 of January 7, 2000, as amended, known as the "Puerto Rico Vehicle and Traffic Act." A clear example of this is the deaths that occur due to accidents caused by drivers who run through a "red light" due to the negligence of driver.

Act No. 132 of June 3, 2005,* which amended Act No. 22, supra, provides that every driver who violates the provisions of this Act regarding traffic lights, shall incur and administrative fault and shall be sanctioned with a forty (40) dollar fine. The fine for running through a red light,

⁰ ⁰: * TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: Should read 2004

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without stopping, amounts to sixty (60) dollars, according to Section 8.02

(j) . However, we find that this provision has not been effective.

According to the official numbers of the Police, the number of tickets issued last year for violations to the abovementioned provision, exceeds the sum of fifty thousand (50,000). Said number is similar to that for the year 2003. In order to reduce the number of violations to the provisions of Act No. 22, supra, and thus reduce the number of deaths on the roads as a consequence thereof, we propose that the fines for violations to Section 8.02 of Act No. 22, supra, be increased.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF PUERTO RICO:

Section 1.- Subsection

(j) of Section 8.02 of Act No. 22 of January 7, 2000, as amended, known as the "Puerto Rico Vehicle and Traffic Act," is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section 8.02- Traffic lights, Signs and Markings When traffic is controlled by traffic lights of different colors, or colored arrows that light up one at a time, or in combination, only green, red and yellow colors shall be used, with the exception of special signs for pedestrians with written messages, and said lights shall direct and shall apply to drivers of vehicles or motor vehicles as well as pedestrians, as follows:

(a) ...

(j) Every driver who violates the provisions of this Section with regard to traffic lights shall incur an administrative fault and shall be punished by a fine of one hundred and fifty (150) dollars; if the violation involves passing a red light without having stopped, he/she shall be punished by a fine of two hundred and fifty (250) dollars, and in the case the person repeats the offense on three (3)

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occasions, his/her drivers' license shall be suspended for a term of three (3) years."

Section 2.- The Department of Transportation and Public Works and the Traffic Safety Commission shall conduct an informational campaign on the provisions of this Act.

Section 3.- This Act shall take effect January 1, 2007.

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CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 63 (H.B. 1315) of the $3^{ ext {rd }}$ Session of the $15^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:

AN ACT to amend subsection

(j) of Section 8.02 of Act No. 22 of January 7, 2000, as amended, known as the "Puerto Rico Vehicle and Traffic Act" in order to increase the amount of the fine imposed for running through a red light to two hundred and fifty (250) dollars, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $8^{ ext {th }}$ of September of 2006.

Francisco J. Domenech Director