Detran advises summer vacationers on safety and best departure times from Belém this summer
The second weekend of July is expected to see the highest traffic on the BR-316 highway
The second weekend of the school holidays is expected to be the busiest on the roads since the beginning of the Summer Operation 2025 (June 27). According to the traffic flow monitoring on the BR-316 conducted by the video surveillance of the State Traffic Department (Detran), at least 20% more vehicles are expected to leave the metropolitan region of Belém (RMB) between Friday, the 11th, and Sunday, the 13th.
During the period from July 4 to 6, that is, the first weekend of the month, Detran recorded a movement of 63,853 vehicles leaving the capital. “Considering previous years, the trend is indeed to have a much more intense flow this second weekend of July, which requires greater care for travel safety,” said the technical-operational director of Detran.
The first tip from Detran is regarding the best departure times. According to the traffic flow control from the last weekend, Saturday is the day of the week with the highest vehicle intensity, and it is ideal to leave the RMB before 6 a.m.
With so many vehicles circulating at the same time, especially passenger cars, maintenance care is essential to avoid breakdowns on the route, which can cause slowdowns on the highway. Another essential care is with the driver's and vehicle's documentation to avoid issues with inspections from both Detran and other traffic authorities involved in the Summer Operation.
Inspection - According to the weekly monitoring of the Department, so far, 8,587 violations have been recorded, corresponding to the period from June 27 to July 6. Since the beginning of the operation, 150 vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, have been removed, usually for irregularities such as overdue licensing or driving by unlicensed drivers. Both infractions are very serious and lead the records of violations enforced by inspection agents. In total, 2,981 drivers were fined for driving with irregular documentation.
Detran is also focused on combating drunk driving, especially this July, when accident cases tend to increase due to the association of alcohol and driving. So far, 3,708 breathalyzer tests have been conducted by Detran. Of this total, 45 people were fined for driving under the influence of alcohol, and another 17 were arrested for the crime of drunk driving. According to the Brazilian Traffic Code (Detran), the difference between the administrative infraction and the crime of drunk driving lies in the amount of alcohol in the body and the alteration of psychomotor ability. The crime occurs when the breathalyzer test indicates 0.34 milligrams of alcohol in the blood or more. In addition to the mentioned criminal penalties, the driver faces administrative sanctions, such as a fine of R$ 2,934.70, suspension of the driver's license for 12 months, and vehicle retention.
Unlike the first weekend of the Summer Operation, this last one recorded 8 people injured in incidents attended by agents; however, the operation continues without fatalities in the area where the inspection points are positioned, which is the main objective of the action in the 33 municipalities where Detran is present throughout the month.
"The operation has proven effective from the standpoint of repressing infringing behaviors with high risk potential, especially combating drunk driving and the circulation of vehicles in irregular situations. The absence of fatal victims is a positive indicator of the preventive effectiveness of the action. The low number of incidents with victims is also noteworthy, considering the territorial scope of the operation and the high number of citations issued, which demonstrates a firm approach aimed at preserving life and road safety," said the operations coordinator of the agency, Ivan Feitosa.
