Cars in Colombia, how many are there? This is the census of the automotive fleet – Sectors – Economy

At the end of the year 2022, Colombia broke the barrier of 18 million vehicles in the accounts of its automotive fleetof which, 61 percent are motorcycles and the remaining 39 percent correspond to cars, buses, trucks, vans and other types of motor vehicles, according to the final balance of the Single National Traffic Registry, Runt.

The figures from this large database show that they exceeded that barrier, they were detected with the record sale of motorcycles, 804,193 units, to which 262,838 of other types of vehicles were added.

The runt report shows other important data. One of them is that the calls of the transport ministry nor the strategy of the pick and card so that a little more than four million Colombians renew their driving licenses. In five months the extra term that was given to them to comply with this procedure expires.

Below we present the impressions of this Runt balance and the impact of the figures:

expired licenses

In January of last year, more than five million driver’s licenses have expired on the tenth anniversary of the issuance of Decree Law 019 of 2012 that set that period of validity for drivers under 60 years of age. Faced with the physical impossibility of meeting this demand in transit agencies, Congress flourished its validity for two more years, but the Court reduced it to one. That deadline is June 20.

Despite the insistence and calls of the national government for citizens to carry out this procedure, according to the Runt, last year only 1,010,026 Colombians renewed their license, that is, the nearly four million that are still missing have a little less five months to update their passes.

(You may be interested: Alert for new crash insurance that would include mechanical technical review).

On the other hand, last year 1,170,502 driving licenses were issued to new drivers, most of them motorcyclists. The problem here is that they were all issued without the requirement of theoretical exams and practical tests that certify the suitability of the drivers, as had been announced by the previous government.

Studies have shown that a lack of skill and mastery of the motorcycle contribute to increased accident rates, especially in novice motorcyclists. Statistics indicate that 6 of them suffer a serious accident in their first year on the motorcycle.

the age of cars

Another revealing fact of the Runt balance is the age of the Colombian automotive fleet. Of the more than 18 million vehicles that are part of this census, 45 percent have more than ten years of use, 8,202,914. Between one to three years there are 2,598,718 (14 percent); from six to ten years, 3,772,039 (21 percent); and the youngest, less than one year old, add up to 1,095,334, that is, 6 percent of the total. In the group of the oldest, over ten years old, two figures stand out: more than four million are motorcycles and 52,000 buses (See graphs).

These figures show an obsolete vehicle fleet associated with two delicate problems, the accident rate and public health problems, the cost of which is high. An Andemos report recalls that in 2015 social spending derived from the degradation of urban air quality reached $15.4 billion pesos.

The census of cars

The universe of the automotive fleet reached 18,082,451 vehicles in 2022, including motorcycles, and despite the fact that these are the official records, the reality is that this figure may be much lower because the registered cars and motorcycles appear there, but of these there are miles that only exist in those records. Some were abandoned by their owners in transit yards, in workshops, garages, or left in pastures.

(Further: ‘There is no connection between insurance and CDA activity.’)

No one knows for sure how many are actually rolling down the streets or are functional. Part of the solution is found in article 8 of the recently approved Law 2283 of this year, which says: «The Ministry of Transport will regulate what is necessary to purify the data of the vehicle fleet registered in the Unique National Traffic Registry (Runt), in order to eliminate the records corresponding to vehicles that are not in circulation”. That is to say, the Government already knows the dimension of the problem, but for now the formula to purify that census and to deregister those vehicles whose debts in taxes, fines and parking are already irrecoverable is unknown.

Now, the importance of having real figures and not inflated ones is that based on these is that the mayors make decisions that abandon the citizens, such as restrictions on the use of private cars (picco and license plate). Saying that there are many cars and hence the congestion is the perfect excuse to promote this type of measure. Last year, 262,338 new vehicles were sold in Colombia, which represented an increase of 4.8 percent compared to 2021.

However, this figure is far from what happens in other latitudes, so saying that there are many cars is a fallacy, while the true origin of the mobility problems is unknown: the lack of planning, the deficient road infrastructure and the deficiencies of public transport.

(We recommend: What are the interest rates in the market to buy a car in 2023).

The most recent studies on motorization rates (2021) indicate that Colombia is below the world average with 126.5 units per thousand inhabitants, while the average of the countries belonging to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), is 435.6 vehicles per thousand inhabitants. And if compared to other Latin American countries, Colombia is one of the countries that registers fewer vehicles proportionally to its population.

The average rate of vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in Latin America is 10 and in the country it is five. Europe and Japan have very similar indicators, 40 new vehicles per thousand inhabitants; in the United States it is 50 and the indicator in Colombia is 5. Countries like Chile register more than 400,000 units a year and its population is around 20 million inhabitants. In other less fateful times, Argentina, with a number of inhabitants similar to ours, registered close to a million vehicles.

Finally, and it is not a minor matter, is that with the official figures of the Runt, the evasion of obligations such as the mechanical technical inspection and the Compulsory Accident Insurance is calculated, which are situated at more than 50 percent. But, Soat’s current policy figures at the end of 2022 ground that reality a bit. «2022 closed with 9.4 million vehicle owners with life-saving insurance, 348,150 more than at the end of 2021,» according to David Colmenares, president of the Fasecolda Board of Directors.

You can also read:

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‘It’s a shame’: users of the Ruta del Sol

Works to improve Ruta del Sol 2 will be carried out until 2024

The best-selling motorcycle brands in Colombia in 2022

Driving license: check if you have pending procedures with traffic

WRITING VEHICLES