The Highway Security Council in Costa Rica (Spanish acronym: COSEVI) announced yesterday afternoon that a new vehicular technical and safety revision and inspection (RITEVE) will go into effect on June 1st. This mandatory, yet highly unpopular, revision is the bane of many drivers and a windfall for auto mechanics.

The changes are mostly focused on the degree of severity assigned to observations made during the revision; for example: a burned out brake light will not be grounds for a failed inspection, as long as at least one other brake light is operational.

According to Eugenio Guerrero from online news daily Costa Rica Hoy, the new manual contains changes in which some deficiencies that were previously considered grounds for failure now have a certain degree of tolerance, and vice versa. A few new inspection guidelines have been added as well.

Some of the changes that are no longer grounds for failure include:

• Loose battery or battery tray
• Absence of rubber or plastic caps on battery terminals
• One brake light out
• License plate light out (though the absence thereof would fail inspection)
• Hazard lights out
• Emergency or spare tire not properly fastened to the vehicle

Silvia Bolanos, the Executive Director overseeing the amendments, explained that the manual has been revised taking into consideration complaints and suggestions from vehicle owners over the last nine years.

Beginning in January of next year, twelve new disqualifying guidelines will come into effect. These guidelines will address safety issues that had not been reviewed in the past. Vehicles will be inspected under these new safety standards now, but will have until next year to comply.

Here are the twelve new safety inspection items:

1. No rear lights to indicate the vehicle going in reverse
2. All vehicles must have at least four directional lights, and if they measure more than 6 meters in length they must have additional side marker lights
3. A brake meter inspection will pass only if the force of deceleration ceases upon release of the brake pedal
4. The emergency or handbrake system must be independent of the pedal brake system
5. The wheels or rims must not have any sharp protruding objects
6. Lack of safety belts in the rear seats, or malfunction thereof
7. Loose or rusty fuel tanks or fuel lines
8. Fuel lines located too close to mufflers, batteries or electrical elements
9. Any gas leaks in vehicles that use liquified natural gas
10. Vehicles certified to transport hazardous materials must carry fire extinguishers of certain specifications
11. All cars registered after 2009 seats must have headrests
12. For long-haul freight trucks, the wheel lock-up system must be simultaneous

For more information, please refer to the RITEVE manual (30284 MOPT).