In Teresópolis, located in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, drivers have begun to utilize side roads in the Pessegueiros neighborhood as a way to circumvent the 40 km/h speed limit enforced by a recently installed radar along BR-116 at kilometer 68. This trend has alarmed local residents and authorities because the side roads are not designed for high volumes of traffic and lack necessary speed reduction measures, leading to a heightened risk of accidents in the area.

The installation of the radar was a long-standing demand from local residents, aimed at controlling traffic speeds in a stretch notorious for accidents. However, during a recent resurfacing project, speed bumps were removed, leaving local access points without the speed control features they once had. This change has inadvertently encouraged drivers to take dangerous shortcuts, further exacerbating safety concerns among residents who are now witnessing a resurgence of reckless driving behavior.

The Pessegueiros Residents Association has formally requested that the highway concession company, Ecovias Rio Minas, install new speed bumps to mitigate this issue, but there is currently no timeline for when this may be addressed. Community leaders express frustration, as they contend that despite achieving the earlier success in having the radar installed after persistent advocacy, the current situation poses an even greater threat to safety, with a history of traffic-related fatalities in the neighborhood.