In Las Tunas, traffic authorities have unveiled stricter penalties for electric scooter and moped drivers who blast loud music, engage in illegal racing, or violate road rules. These measures include vehicle confiscation for those who fail to pay imposed fines.
José Enrique Collazo González, the head of the provincial traffic department, emphasized that electric mopeds are the primary target. Many young owners have modified these vehicles, creating "deafening noises that disturb pedestrians and residents in residential neighborhoods."
Sanctioned behaviors include driving with altered exhausts that produce loud noises, playing music at volumes exceeding legal decibel limits in urban areas, riding without helmets, carrying three people on a single scooter, participating in illegal races, and driving without a license, as reported by the official newspaper 26 this Thursday.
Offending vehicles are impounded at a storage facility for periods ranging from one day to six months, depending on the severity of the violation.
The daily fee is set at 500 Cuban pesos, and the confiscation process is automatic. "If individuals are informed of their pickup date and fail to pay the full fee, the following day the vehicle will be confiscated," warned Collazo.
The latest operation by Las Tunas Provincial Traffic Directorate targeting traffic violations by motorcycles and electric mopeds has not escaped criticism.
Recently, residents took to social media to question the operation, highlighting that the daily fee is unaffordable amid the economic crisis. They also pointed out that the difficulty in obtaining a driver's license in the province leads many to unintentionally become violators.
Public dissatisfaction with noise has been previously documented. A September 2025 survey found that over 70% of respondents in the eastern province described the music from scooters, bicitaxis, and recreational centers as "boisterous" and "annoying."
The crackdown in Las Tunas is part of a broader initiative that has spread across several provinces this year. In July, Guantánamo imposed fines of 1,000 pesos daily on motorcycles with resonators.
That same month, noise in Sancti Spíritus was identified as an escalating issue since 2022. More recently, authorities in Havana confiscated speakers from bicitaxi drivers, warning that repeat offenders could face charges of disobedience. In April, an operation in Santiago de Cuba resulted in over 200 immobilized motorcycles.
The national pattern reveals an inconsistent enforcement of regulations that have been in place for years. Professor and communicator Manuel Calviño summarized this on his show Vale la Pena on the official Cubavisión TV channel in July.
"There are laws regulating all these issues, yet they aren't enforced, and as a result, compliance is even lower," he argued.
Enforcement of Traffic Regulations in Cuba
Why are electric scooters being targeted in Las Tunas?
Electric scooters are targeted due to modifications that produce loud noises, disturbing residents and pedestrians in residential areas.
What penalties are imposed on violators?
Penalties include vehicle impoundment for one day to six months, with a daily fee of 500 Cuban pesos. Failure to pay results in automatic confiscation.
How has the public reacted to these measures?
The public has criticized the measures, arguing that the fees are unaffordable amid economic hardship and that obtaining a driver's license is challenging, making inadvertent violations common.