Los Cabos Tourist Safety In Ubers & Taxis To Increase After This Decision By Local Authorities

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Last Updated 12 months ago

Police in Los Cabos have decided to set up checkpoints across random points throughout the region on a permanent basis.

These checkpoints will be meant to check for potential drunk drivers that may be roaming the streets of Cabo.

The police have not made the locations where they will be setting up public. In order to deter potential drunk drivers from just using alternative routes to avoid the checkpoints. 

These checkpoints started to be set up in the early spring as the main spring break season approached. The idea was that these checkpoints could deter drunk drivers from heading down the streets of Cabo.

Doing so has helped reduce the number of accidents that take place along the main roads in the area.

Although car accidents continue to be a concern for local authorities, the positive results that these checkpoints provided through the spring is potentially what’s leading them to remain in place.

For tourists, there are a couple of positive takeaways. 

Number one, certified Ubers or cab drivers will not run the risk of drinking on the job. Also, the authorities mentioned that they’ll be keeping an eye out not only for drunk drivers but for people who are texting as they drive.

Drinking and driving, as well as texting and driving, are two of the 4 main causes of car accidents in the Cabo area.

The checkpoints will not only clamp down on tourists who decide to rent a car but also serve as a deterrent for Uber and Taxi drivers who text and drive. 

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The Checkpoints Also Serve To Slow Vehicle Speed On The Popular Transpeninsular Road

Although the checkpoints will be set up at different spots each day, most of the time, there will be a checkpoint within the Federal highway or the Transpeninsular road.

This is the highway that connects San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. It’s the road that gets the most traffic, and consequently, it’s also the road that sees the most accidents in Cabo.

Police within the checkpoint usually only apply actual breathalyzer tests to about 35 people a night. That doesn’t mean that only 35 vehicles are going to be stopped throughout the night. 

Police will usually stop and question multiple drivers throughout their hours on patrol. Having the checkpoint set up also serves as a way to monitor speeds.

Since cars forcefully have to reduce their speed to pass through the checkpoint. This extra benefit can be used by police to set up these checkpoints near spots where accidents have happened recently.

The idea is that reducing speeds and forcing drivers to be more alert can help prevent accidents. 

Should These Checkpoints Deter Tourists From Renting Cars?

Renting a car could be one of the more efficient ways to get around Cabo. With these new regulations and the current Uber and cab rates, it may not make a lot of sense to rent a car while in Cabo unless planning for many day trips.

Apart from mentioning that these checkpoints will remain in place, authorities also shared the updated prices on the tickets that are given out for drunk drivers detained at these spots.  

Drinking and driving is not tolerated in Cabo, and tourists caught doing so will be treated accordingly.

Fines for those stopped at the checkpoint range from 115 to 130 dollars. That’s just the ticket though for the drunk driving offense.

On top though you’ll likely be charged a towing fee, plus a fee for the time that the vehicle spends at a local impound.

For travelers coming to Los Cabos who want to have some margaritas, it makes more sense to pay for taxis and Ubers.

The Uber ride from San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas costs about 20 to 30 dollars. Renting a car for a full week in Cabo costs about 270 dollars for the smallest vehicle.

That’s with the most basic insurance plan attached to the rental. All things considered, it may be best to take Ubers around Cabo and view these checkpoints as a positive and not a potential threat.