To drive vehicles there are
requirements
that are identical throughout Argentina, such as having an up-to-date license and insurance.
But there are also requirements that can vary greatly depending on the place through which it circulates.
The
level of alcohol
tolerated in the blood of the person who drives is a clear example.
In recent years,
more and more provinces
have been enacting laws that impose "
zero alcohol behind the wheel
" in their territories.
That is, the total ban on drinking before driving.
The Province of Buenos Aires
recently
launched a regulation of this type, and joined the
other 12 provinces
that already punished with harsh sanctions even those who have only ingested
minimal amounts
of an alcoholic beverage before driving.
Thus, taking into account that the country has
24 provinces
counting the Capital, now about 13 -
half plus one
- require "zero alcohol".
But
not the rest
: almost "half the country" still allows driving with moderate levels of this substance in the body, up to the
limit of 0.5 grams
per liter of blood set by the National Traffic Law 24,449.
With which, this summer, those who go on vacation by car should know what the rules are in this regard in the different places they
will visit
and in all those jurisdictions through which
they will pass
on the way.
On the routes to the coast, as well as throughout the Buenos Aires territory, if someone drank alcohol they cannot drive.
Photo: Martin Bonetto.
Province of Buenos Aires: how is the new "zero alcohol" law at the wheel
On
January 1
, 2023, Buenos Aires law 15,402 came into force, which modified the Traffic Code imposing
zero tolerance
of blood alcohol for drivers throughout the provincial territory.
What applies even in the routes and national highways that cross it.
The norm, approved unanimously in the Buenos Aires Legislature at the end of last year, thus
canceled
the possibility contemplated until now of driving with up to
0.5 grams
of alcohol per liter of blood.
Violators, meanwhile, expect harsh penalties:
3 to 18 months withholding
the driver's license depending on the degree detected, up to
$180,000 fine
and possible
arrest
, in addition to the obligation to take driver's education courses.
On the other hand, it is specified that those who refuse to be controlled will be
considered positive
, with all the sanctions that this entails.
On January 1, the law entered into force in Buenos Aires territory and there are operations to verify that it is complied with.
Photo: Min. Transport PBA.
What other provinces have passed zero tolerance laws for alcohol while driving?
-
Chaco
.
It has been in effect since August
2022
.
-
Chubut
.
Sanctioned at the end of
2020
.
-
Cordoba
.
It has been applied since
2014
.
-
Between Rivers
.
Its standard was regulated in
2018
.
-
Jujuy
.
Apply the "zero alcohol" since
2018
.
-
The Pampa
.
Enacted in August
2022
.
-
La Rioja
.
Sanctioned in November
2022
.
-
Black River
.
It has its law since
2017
.
-
Jump
.
"Zero tolerance" has been the law since
2014
.
-
Holy Cross
.
Its law came into effect in
2017
.
-
Land of Fire
.
It was approved in
2021
.
-
Tucuman
.
Prohibits alcohol while driving since
2016
.
To all this is added that, according to the National Ministry of Transportation, more than
40 municipalities
in the country also have their own
"zero alcohol"
rules at the wheel in their territories.
For example, the cities of
Rosario
, capital
Santa Fe
,
Posadas
and capital
Neuquén
.
Therefore, even in the most flexible provinces there may be certain
localities
that are not.
This is why being well informed is key when going on a trip to avoid problems.
Or directly, as the specialists advise,
never drink if you are going to drive
or
speculate
about the time it takes for the body to "clean itself".
Submitting to breathalyzer controls is mandatory and those who refuse are considered drunk.
Photo: Ministry of National Transport.
Why is it recommended not to drink alcohol before driving?
Based on medical criteria and statistical evidence, the
Ministry of Health of the Nation
emphatically advises against driving while drinking alcohol, stating that its consumption "increases the chances of being involved in a road accident,
whatever the level
".
The official recommendation is clear: "If you're going to drive,
don't drink
alcohol."
And it is that, among the
dangerous effects
that alcohol generates in a person who is in control of a vehicle, the following stand out:
-
Reduces peripheral vision
and can cause
double vision
, which hinders the person's ability to discern what is happening around them and diminishes their ability to
judge distances
.
-Decreases coordination and attention: thus, whoever has drunk
will take longer to make decisions in the
face of events or situations that require an immediate reaction.
-Generates a
false state
of
euphoria
,
security
and self-
confidence
, which leads to a "feeling of
contempt for danger
" and a tendency to transgress the rules (for example, avoiding wearing a seatbelt or helmet).
With the criteria of "zero tolerance", if there is alcohol in a meeting, those who will be driving should not have a drink.
Photo: Shutterstock.
The national "zero alcohol" law, delayed
At the national level, there is a project for "zero alcohol" at the wheel that
was half
approved in November in the Chamber of Deputies and is now awaiting approval by the
Senate
to become law.
Since in the Upper House the commission's opinion had been achieved quickly and there is sufficient consensus, it was expected that the final sanction could arrive
before the end of the year
.
But finally it did not happen.
For this reason, now the Government included this issue as one of the 27 projects that it asked the Legislative Power to
deal with in extraordinary sessions
, between January 23 and February 28.
If progress is made, this initiative, prepared by the National Road Safety Agency (ANSV) with the support of organizations of relatives of victims of road accidents, will establish
for the entire country
that tolerance of alcohol in blood will be
zero
when driving any type of motor vehicle.
After this change to the Traffic Law, in any case, each jurisdiction
will be able to decide whether to adhere
to the new regulations.
Or if it maintains its own legislation, as would happen in provinces like Mendoza;
and in the City of Buenos Aires, where for now the criterion of tougher sanctions for those who exceed the limit prevails.
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