Photo By David Hernandez | Traffic safety is a top priority at the Army's Caribbean installation. To emphasize...... read more read more
FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO- Traffic safety is a top priority at the Army's home in the Caribbean. To emphasize this point, Capt. Ricardo Pérez, a traffic crash investigator at the Directorate of Emergency Services (DES), recently reminded the military community of the importance of adhering to on-post traffic laws.
"Following traffic laws reduces the risk of accidents and creates a safer environment. Ignorance of the law does not exempt anyone from responsibility," said Pérez.
According to the officer, service members driving General Service Administration (GSA) or Government-Owned Vehicles (GOV) are subject to the same rules as those driving Private-Owned Vehicles (POVs). However, the consequences for violations differ.
"If an individual driving a GSA or GOV commits a traffic violation on the installation, they will face administrative action rather than a monetary fine, and any further actions will be decided by their commander. In contrast, family members, veterans, or retirees may receive monetary fines," Pérez explained.
Speed limits at Fort Buchanan vary by zone. For instance, the speed limit in school zones is 15 miles per hour (mph), in parking lots it’s 5-10 mph, and the maximum speed limit on post is 25 mph. When troops are marching or engaging in physical training within these zones, vehicles must reduce their speed to 10 mph.
Passing zones are not permitted within the installation. Furthermore, taking shortcuts between parking lots to avoid traffic streets or crossing through different parking areas is prohibited. Police officers will intervene with individuals who engage in this behavior.
Pérez clarified that fines issued within the installation are subject to federal jurisdiction.
"Since Fort Buchanan is a federal installation, all monetary fines incurred here will be addressed in federal court," said Pérez.
He also explained the options for paying or disputing a fine: in person at federal court, by mail, by phone using the 800 number on the ticket, or online. If a driver believes the ticket was issued unfairly or incorrectly, they have 30 working days to request a review from federal court instead of paying the fine. In such cases, the driver must attend a hearing to contest the ticket.
For more information about the Traffic Section at Fort Buchanan, call (787) 707-3757 or visit the website: https://home.army.mil/buchanan/about/Garrison/DES/law-enforcement/operations/traffic-section.
With an annual budget exceeding $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports a military community of approximately 15,000 personnel, including active-duty Reserve members from the Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Reserve. Fort Buchanan’s mission is to function as a readiness enhancement platform, facilitating the deployment of military personnel anywhere at any time.
| Date Taken: | 04.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2025 14:45 |
| Story ID: | 495784 |
| Location: | PR |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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