La motivación de las decisiones administrativas: estudio de las garantías de defensa en el procedimiento contravencional de infracciones de tránsito en el Distrito de Barranquilla, 2025
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Fecha
2025
Autores
Pérez Roa, Mayra Alejandra
Sánchez Sarmiento, Jaime Andrés
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Ediciones Universidad Simón Bolívar
Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales
Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales
Resumen
El presente ensayo analiza la motivación de las decisiones administrativas en el procedimiento contravencional de infracciones de tránsito en el Distrito de Barranquilla durante el año 2025, a la luz de las garantías constitucionales de defensa y debido proceso. Partiendo del contexto nacional de siniestralidad vial — en el que se evidencia una reducción de víctimas fatales, pero una persistencia de conductas infractoras—, se contrasta esta realidad con la situación local: entre enero y septiembre de 2025 los comparendos en Barranquilla aumentaron de 53.603 a 77.933 (un 45 %), con un marcado impacto sobre motociclistas, quienes concentran cerca del 69 % de las sanciones e inmovilizaciones. Este escenario revela una respuesta institucional fuertemente sancionatoria y plantea interrogantes sobre la calidad jurídica de las decisiones administrativas, en particular respecto de su motivación, la notificación efectiva, la valoración del descargo y la proporcionalidad de las sanciones.
Desde un enfoque jurídico-dogmático y descriptivo, el estudio articula tres niveles de análisis: (i) el marco constitucional, legal y jurisprudencial del derecho administrativo sancionador de tránsito (incluyendo las sentencias T-051/2016, STP770/2019, STP15698/2019, C-321/2022, C-031/2024, C-052/2024 y C-
470/2023); (ii) la discusión doctrinal con autores que evidencian deficiencias estructurales en la motivación y en las garantías de defensa, frente a otros que destacan la suficiencia del modelo sancionatorio y las mejoras normativas recientes; y (iii) el análisis de las estadísticas oficiales de comparendos e inmovilizaciones en Barranquilla para 2024–2025. La investigación concluye que, pese a la existencia de un marco normativo robusto, en la práctica contravencional del Distrito persisten motivaciones estereotipadas, baja valoración probatoria y una marcada asimetría entre la administración y los infractores —especialmente los más vulnerables—, lo que revela una garantía incompleta del derecho de defensa y del debido proceso en las decisiones sancionatorias de tránsito.
This essay examines the motivation of administrative decisions within the contraventional procedure for traffic infractions in the District of Barranquilla during 2025, in light of the constitutional guarantees of the right to defense and due process. Starting from the national context of road traffic accidents—where a reduction in fatalities has been recorded, yet infringing behaviors persist—the study contrasts this panorama with the local situation. Between January and September 2025, traffic citations in Barranquilla increased from 53,603 to 77,933 (a 45% rise), with a disproportionate impact on motorcyclists, who account for approximately 69% of both sanctions and vehicle impoundments. This scenario reveals a strongly punitive institutional response and raises concerns about the legal quality of administrative decisions, particularly regarding their motivation, effective notification, assessment of statements of defense, and proportionality of sanctions. Adopting a legal-dogmatic and descriptive approach, the study articulates three levels of analysis: (i) the constitutional, legal, and jurisprudential framework of administrative sanctioning law in traffic matters (including rulings T-051/2016, STP770/2019, STP15698/2019, C-321/2022, C-031/2024, C-052/2024, and C- 470/2023); (ii) the doctrinal discussion between authors who identify structural deficiencies in the motivation and guarantees of defense, and those who argue that the sanctioning model is sufficient and strengthened by recent reforms; and (iii) the analysis of official statistics on traffic citations and vehicle impoundments in Barranquilla for 2024–2025. The investigation concludes that, despite a robust normative framework, the city’s contraventional practice exhibits stereotyped motivations, weak evidentiary assessment, and a marked asymmetry between the administration and offenders—particularly those in vulnerable socio-economic conditions—which demonstrates an incomplete guarantee of the right to defense and due process in traffic sanctioning decisions.
This essay examines the motivation of administrative decisions within the contraventional procedure for traffic infractions in the District of Barranquilla during 2025, in light of the constitutional guarantees of the right to defense and due process. Starting from the national context of road traffic accidents—where a reduction in fatalities has been recorded, yet infringing behaviors persist—the study contrasts this panorama with the local situation. Between January and September 2025, traffic citations in Barranquilla increased from 53,603 to 77,933 (a 45% rise), with a disproportionate impact on motorcyclists, who account for approximately 69% of both sanctions and vehicle impoundments. This scenario reveals a strongly punitive institutional response and raises concerns about the legal quality of administrative decisions, particularly regarding their motivation, effective notification, assessment of statements of defense, and proportionality of sanctions. Adopting a legal-dogmatic and descriptive approach, the study articulates three levels of analysis: (i) the constitutional, legal, and jurisprudential framework of administrative sanctioning law in traffic matters (including rulings T-051/2016, STP770/2019, STP15698/2019, C-321/2022, C-031/2024, C-052/2024, and C- 470/2023); (ii) the doctrinal discussion between authors who identify structural deficiencies in the motivation and guarantees of defense, and those who argue that the sanctioning model is sufficient and strengthened by recent reforms; and (iii) the analysis of official statistics on traffic citations and vehicle impoundments in Barranquilla for 2024–2025. The investigation concludes that, despite a robust normative framework, the city’s contraventional practice exhibits stereotyped motivations, weak evidentiary assessment, and a marked asymmetry between the administration and offenders—particularly those in vulnerable socio-economic conditions—which demonstrates an incomplete guarantee of the right to defense and due process in traffic sanctioning decisions.
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Palabras clave
Motivación administrativa, Debido proceso, Derecho de defensa, Infracciones de tránsito, Barranquilla 2025
