National Congress seeks to regulate speed limits on highways

In order to formulate prevention strategies and generate public policies on road safety, the National Congress approved in the first debate reforms to the Traffic Law to regulate speed on highways.

These changes are aimed at reducing the rate of deaths and injuries caused by traffic accidents on Honduran roads.

The reforms, which will be applied once they are published in the Official Gazette “La Gaceta” , seek to establish stricter speed limits for different types of roads in the country.

Among the most relevant changes is the modification of articles 68 and 98 of Legislative Decree No. 205-2005 , contained in the Traffic Law.

From the moment the reforms come into force, article 68 will establish that: “Drivers of vehicles circulating on public roads must act prudently, so that in the event of an emergency they can make the appropriate maneuvers to avoid an accident, respecting the maximum permitted speeds.”

New speed limits

Drivers must respect the following speed limits established in the different areas:

• 80 kilometers per hour on primary roads.
• 60 kilometers per hour on peripheral rings.
• 40 kilometers per hour on boulevards.
• 30 kilometers per hour in metropolitan areas.
• 30 kilometers per hour on streets and avenues.
• 25 kilometers per hour in educational and hospital areas.
• 20 kilometers per hour in residential areas.

These measures are intended to curb the growing number of accidents, many of which are related to speeding, one of the main causes of fatalities on Honduran roads.

Sanctions and enforcement

Article 98, which has also been amended, will indicate that exceeding the speed limit will be considered a serious offence. Drivers who do not respect the rules will face more severe penalties.

To ensure the correct application of these provisions, the National Directorate of Roads and Transport (DNVT) will define for the public, through an administrative act, the road traffic areas where the new speed limits will apply.

These reforms represent a crucial step forward in the quest to reduce road accidents in Honduras.

In addition to improving road safety, especially in areas where pedestrians transit, such as residential, educational and hospital areas.

The National Congress hopes that these actions will save lives and promote more responsible driving throughout the country.

Figures

In 2024, the numbers continue to rise, with more than 2,100 deaths recorded by October, surpassing the unfortunate record of the previous year.

According to Bulletin No. 69 of the Violence Observatory of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH), 2023 closed with 2,007 deaths , which represents the highest mortality rate in two decades.

One of the most worrying aspects is that more than 70% of these fatal accidents are caused by the human factor, whether due to speeding, drunk driving, mobile phone use or lack of attention on the road.

In 2024, data shows that almost 80% of fatal accidents involve these causes.