Tighter restrictions bar 1.5 million from driving in Mexico City every day

With the implementation of tighter restrictions as part of Mexico City's no-drive days program, 1.5 million vehicles must remain idle in notoriously smoggy Mexico City every day, according to Martín Gutiérrez Lacayo, the executive coordinator of Mexico City Metropolitan Area's Environmental Commission.

The executive coordinator said that the number of vehicles certified as low-emissions, which weren't restricted from driving one weekday per week and one Saturday per month on any given day of the week in the Metropolitan Area, was reduced by 47%.

In addition, around 700,000 vehicles of the total 5.8 million in the Metropolitan Area, or around 18%, did not pass the smog verification process. Owners of these vehicles must make certain repairs and updates to their vehicles before being allowed to drive again in the city.

Arturo Rodríguez, the assistant prosecutor for the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (PROFEPA) said that out of 373 certified smog-check centers in the Metropolitan Area, 67 received fines totaling 50.33 million pesos, around 2.5 million dollars, for presenting "irregularities."