Over 142,000 Vehicles Depart Santiago at Start of Long Weekend

The start of a long weekend saw a significant exodus from Santiago, with over 142,000 vehicles departing the Metropolitan Region. Carabineros, Chile's national police force, reported this figure based on traffic flow between Friday evening and midnight. The numbers indicate a substantial movement of people heading out of the capital for the holiday.

During this initial travel period, authorities conducted over 11,000 inspections and 3,000 toxicology tests. These operations resulted in 28 arrests and nearly 180 traffic violations. The weekend's travel was also marked by 16 traffic accidents, sadly resulting in one fatality.

Looking ahead, officials projected that an additional 127,000 vehicles would leave the region on Saturday. To manage the anticipated surge in traffic, specific measures were implemented, including toll fee adjustments during peak hours and restrictions for heavy vehicles on certain routes. The holiday weekend is expected to see a continued high volume of travel.