Improper parking has become the second most sanctioned traffic offense on roads, according to an April 10 statement from the Traffic Police. In the first three months of the year, authorities issued 7,191 tickets for improper parking, each carrying a fine of ¢61,000. This amounts to an average of one sanction every 18 minutes during the first quarter.
The issue matters because improper parking can create real risks for pedestrians and other road users. When vehicles are parked on sidewalks, there is a danger that motorcycles could fall onto people or that children might touch hot exhaust pipes. Parking in restricted areas such as less than ten meters from a corner or on a curve forces other drivers into opposing lanes and increases the risk of head-on collisions.
Martín Sánchez Agüero, director of the Traffic Police, said that “parking less than five meters from a hydrant obstructs firefighters’ work and stopping in bike lanes creates hazards for cyclists.” He also noted that blocking pedestrian ramps or crosswalks can force elderly people and others with mobility challenges into unsafe situations.
Improper parking was only surpassed by violations related to driving restrictions under article 122 of the Traffic Law—specifically those defined in article 146(i)—which resulted in 12,433 fines during this period. Other common offenses included altered odometers, lack of technical inspection or up-to-date vehicle registration (marchamo), and illegal window tinting.
“Improper parking generates traffic congestion and real potential risks for other road users,” Sánchez Agüero said. “We must move away from selfish convenience when choosing where to park and consider how our actions affect others—such as older adults forced into streets because cars block sidewalks or pedestrians who must step further into intersections due to vehicles parked too close to crosswalks or disability ramps.”
