A total 339 people died onsite in traffic accidents last year – more than in any year since 2003, according to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT). The biggest causes were speeding, drunken driving, and carelessness by pedestrians, in that order.

There were 329 road deaths in 2006 and 278 in 2005. These figures do not include deaths that occur later in the hospital.   

A legislative commission is now discussing a bill to reform traffic laws and decrease road deaths. The bill would increase penalties for traffic violations, make drunken driving a crime, crack down on corruption among the traffic police, and require road safety education in schools. Despite heavy pressure from victims' families and the Arias administration, legislators have been unable to decide on a final version for the bill.

The ministry said in a statement that traffic police will closely monitor seven highways that see increased traffic during January, when schools are on summer break