Ensenada’s city council committees approved reforms to the municipality’s traffic regulations that change how police handle drunk driving stops and vehicle towing. Mayor Claudia Agatón introduced the changes, which passed through the joint Government and Legislation and Public Safety committees.
The most significant change involves breathalyzer stops. Under the reformed rules, police will no longer automatically arrest drivers stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence. Instead, the city will follow a new framework that establishes clearer procedures for breathalyzer use and the consequences that follow a positive test.
New Towing Rules Based on Prior Infractions
The reforms also overhaul Ensenada’s vehicle towing rules. Under the updated regulations, police must now consider whether a driver has any prior traffic infractions before ordering a vehicle towed. This represents a shift from the previous system, where towing decisions did not account for a driver’s record.
Gandolfo García, Ensenada’s Public Safety chief, spoke in favor of the reforms during the committee session. He said the changes provide greater legal certainty for residents by establishing clear, consistent rules for how officers handle DUI stops and towing situations.
What the Reforms Mean for Drivers
The reforms still need a full vote from the Ensenada city council (cabildo) before taking effect. If approved, they will amend the Reglamento de Tránsito Municipal, the local traffic code that governs driving rules within city limits.
Ensenada, located about 80 miles south of the U.S. border at Tijuana, sees heavy weekend and holiday traffic from both Mexican and foreign visitors. The city’s traffic enforcement policies directly affect anyone driving in the municipality, whether local residents or visitors heading to the wine country of the Valle de Guadalupe or the coastal highway south toward San Quintín.
The proposed changes come as municipalities across Baja California review their traffic enforcement practices. Ensenada’s approach of scaling consequences to a driver’s prior record mirrors a broader trend in Mexican cities toward more graduated enforcement systems rather than blanket penalties.
First reported by Ensenada.net.