BRAZIL: RIO: TOUGH NEW TRAFFIC LAWS CATCH MANY BY SURPRISE
(31 Jan 1998) Portuguese/Nat
Tough new traffic laws have taken effect in Brazil catching many by surprise, including top officials and law-makers.
The new measures are aimed at creating a safe driving environment in Brazilian cities.
But many people believe it will take time to change old habits.
Brazilians love cars but have little regard for the rules of the road.
It’s a combination that produces world-class racing drivers and record road fatalities.
But driving in Brazil may now become safer — that’s if a new set of tough traffic laws succeeds in breaking ingrained bad habits.
The new measures are already in effect and they’ve caught many Brazilians by surprise, including top officials and law-makers.
Although most of the 341 new laws took effect on January 22, some states are not enforcing them all right away.
Brazilians have never had traffic laws as demanding as the new ones.
The measures are aimed at creating a safe driving environment in Brazilian cities.
SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese)
“I’ve done a very favourable evaluation. It seems that the biggest traffic law in Brazil will succeed. People are aware that this law was approved after five years of study to improve traffic, to make it safer, more pleasant and to improve the people’s quality of life.’
SUPER CAPTION: Paulo Alfonso Cunha, Rio de Janeiro’s Secretary of Transportation
The new laws toughen penalties for offenders, with jail terms and fines of up to 865 reais ($772 U-S dollars), plus loss of license and up to three years in jail for drunk driving.
It’s a big change for a country where drivers routinely ignore traffic laws.
But it could help Brazil improve the world’s worst driving safety record with 50-thousand road deaths and 350-thousand injuries a year.
SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese)
“I could ensure that these new measures will tend to reduce the number of car accident victims, but in such a short term we cannot tell whether that number has really decreased, because each week, the number of accident victims varies.”
SUPER CAPTION: Sergio Siqueira, Chief of Emergency Ward Salgado Filho Municipal Hospital
The National Department of Transit says Brazil spent four (b) billion dollars in traffic- related expenses last year, including treatment of victims in public hospitals.
Some feel, however, that old habits will be hard to break.
Newspapers on Friday published photos of congressional leaders and the U-S Ambassador riding in cars without wearing their seat-belts.
The new laws make it illegal for drivers and passengers to travel without being strapped in.
A Sao Paulo newspaper reported four violations by the car driving First Lady Ruth Cardoso – including running a red light and not wearing seat-belts.
Most police are being lenient with violators for now, and a few would dare to tag a member of Brazil’s elite.
SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese)
‘We believe that this problem must be addressed with an open mind, and that the law, with its strong hand, will bring in our country a decrease in this illegal practice.’
SUPER CAPTION: Paulo Alfonso Cunha, Rio de Janeiro’s Secretary of Transportation
Some feel that high fines and ignorance of the law will simply encourage corrupt police.
Also, some city traffic officials are encouraging drivers to run red lights at night to prevent muggings – creating more confusion for drivers, since running a red light is among the most serious offences.
It will take time for the new laws to break in, but law-makers are confident that in the long run they will put an end to the epidemic of highway deaths.
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