Now almost a decade old, the state’s Traffic Department’s (Setran) “Salvando Vidas” (Saving Lives) campaign, which seeks to curb drunk driving with strict measures such as random breathalyzer stops, will again turn up the heat on inebriated motorists from a simmer to a boil, just in time for the year’s most besotted season.
The “Torito” checkpoints (as they are colloquially referred to) will step up and operate in the Guadalajara metropolitan area on a 24/7 basis from December 1 through to January 6, 2024, Setran announced this week.
The frequency of driving under the influence experiences its most dramatic spike during what is known as the Guadalupe-Reyes period, that is, between the Fiesta Virgen de Guadalupe, December 12, and Dia de los Reyes, January 6. The calendar days crowded between these two Catholic holiday brackets are traditionally spent not only [theoretically] in pious worship, but also deep in one’s cups. Between traditional and non-traditional posadas, office parties and family gatherings, the season is chock-full of excuses to drink, and not always at night.
Punishments for testing positive for alcohol are fines and possible jail time (24-36 hours) at the Centro Urbano de Retención Vial (CURVA), the city’s drunk tank. Fines are adjusted for blood-alcohol level, ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 pesos.
Given Setrans’ resolve—and proven track record of effectiveness —revelers would be advised to think twice before getting behind the wheel, day or night. Walk, bike, Uber, taxi; options abound for those in transit full of holiday spirit.