Ombudsman to drivers: Take care in selecting traffic fine amnesty discounts.

The Office of the Ombudsman for the Citizen emphasized that citizens should take the time to review all available alternatives for traffic fine amnesty offered on the CESCO Digital platform, and make an informed decision about which option is most convenient and financially beneficial.

By THE STAR STAFF

Drivers seeking to benefit from the maximum discount available under the traffic fine amnesty established by the Department of Transportation and Public Works must pay close attention to the payment options offered on the CESCO Digital platform, or they risk missing out on greater savings, the Office of the Ombudsman for the Citizen warned on Tuesday.

As part of an awareness effort aimed at thousands of drivers who owe traffic fines and wish to take advantage of the amnesty, Puerto Rico Ombudsman Edwin García Feliciano emphasized that citizens should take the time to review all available alternatives and make an informed decision about which option is most convenient and financially beneficial.

García Feliciano said that when users enter the CESCO Digital platform, the system may initially display a payment plan option that offers around a 10% discount. However, this is not necessarily the best option available for many drivers, making it essential for users to continue reading and navigating through the system.

“Many citizens may be interested in accessing a higher discount of up to 40 percent, which appears later in the process,” the ombudsman said. “But the reality is that people tend to select the first option presented, without realizing they have the opportunity to receive a greater discount if they continue navigating the portal.”

The ombudsman confirmed that the issue was identified by the special prosecutor for public transportation, José O. Pérez Rosa, who examined the standard fine payment process offered through the application.

As general guidance, García Feliciano issued a key warning to help citizens avoid setbacks and meet their expectations for household budget relief. He noted that once a user selects a payment plan on the CESCO Digital platform to benefit from the amnesty, they may not be able to later switch to another option that offers a greater discount.

“This is one of the fundamental aspects of the difficulty citizens are experiencing,” García Feliciano said.

For that reason, he stressed the importance of carefully reading each screen, reviewing all available options, and avoiding the automatic selection of the first alternative presented.