No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaPresident Luis Guillermo Solís orders plan to protect cyclists

President Luis Guillermo Solís orders plan to protect cyclists

President Luis Guillermo Solís ordered a group of his ministers and officials to draft, within 30 days, a comprehensive plan to improve protection for cyclists.

Solís announced the order on Monday during an event in San José where he officially inaugurated the new school year.

The president asked ministers of Public Education, Transport and Public Works (MOPT), Culture and Youth, Sports as well as the Executive President of the National Insurance Institute to form a special group to draft the plan.

The strategy should also take into consideration opinions from the Roadway Safety Council, and from urban cyclists groups, motorists groups, private sector leaders and other citizen groups.

Solís said the country currently has a large number of regulations and policies about roadway safety and education, but they lack coordination. For that reason he asked top officials of those agencies to consolidate all of them in order to look for a more effective compliance.

“We’ve worked all week in memory of the people who died in the tragic accident last week and we found that we have a lot of good programs, but they all are very dispersed,” Solís said.

The president said they are absolutely aware that the country needs more Traffic Police officers. He also said he supports recent proposals such as reinstating surveillance cameras on the roads and distributing reflective vests.

Cyclists demonstration in San José. Feb. 5, 2017.
(Via ChepeCletas)

Cyclists march

Solís’ order came just a day after thousands of cyclists marched along the main streets of the capital San José, demanding respect for them on the roads.

Among other events, the march included a demonstration at La Sabana Park, west of the downtown, where cyclists formed a giant “Respect” sign and staged other protests.

They also rode in front of Calderón Guardia Hospital, where the only survivor of the fatal traffic accident that killed three cyclists last week is still in serious conditions.

The march concluded precisely at the exact location of the accident in Curridabat, east of San José, where three painted hearts on the road remember the victims.

Cyclists and other citizen groups also demonstrated in front of the Legislative Assembly and the MOPT last Thursday asking for stricter regulations and for better protection for them.

They delivered lawmakers and MOPT officials with a ten-point list of petitions and placed white bikes at both buildings.

See a video of Sunday’s demonstration posted by urban cyclists group ChepeCletas.

https://www.facebook.com/ChepeCletasCR/posts/1228969200473964

Trending Now

Costa Rica TSE Seeks to Lift President Chaves Immunity

Costa Rica's electoral tribunal has stepped up pressure on President Rodrigo Chaves by asking lawmakers to strip his immunity over claims of political interference...

Costa Rica Bill Targets Public Drinking with Fines and Jail Time

Lawmakers in Costa Rica have put forward a bill to crack down on drinking in public spaces, aiming to cut down on related disturbances...

Guns N’ Roses Kicks Off Latin Tour in Costa Rica at National Stadium

Rock fans across the country gear up for a night of hard-hitting music as Guns N’ Roses performs at the Estadio Nacional this evening....

El Salvador Bans Inclusive Language in Public Schools

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has taken another step to reshape the country's education system. On Thursday, he declared a complete ban on what...

Costa Rica 2026 Elections Kick Off: 20 Candidates Vie for Presidency

Costa Rica's electoral season began yesterday with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal's official call for the 2026 national elections. Eugenia Zamora, the TSE president, described...

Costa Rica Court Orders Urgent Regulation of Tuna Fishing Law

Costa Rica's Constitutional Court has stepped in to push the government on a long-delayed tuna fishing law. The court partially backed an appeal from...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica