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Since 2020, activists, experts and civil society organizations have managed to include the right to mobility and road safety in the Mexican Constitution. In particular, a paragraph was added to Article 4, which establishes other rights, such as the right to health.
“Everyone has the right to mobility under conditions of road safety, accessibility, efficiency, sustainability, quality, inclusiveness and equality.”
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Building on this progress, the Safe Mobility Coalition, which brings together 97 civil society organizations and experts from 32 states across the country, took the lead in drafting the General Law on Mobility and Road Safety. With a systemic vision and based on the best international practices in mobility and road safety, the plan was approved in May 2022.
The law is based on the premise that sustainable transport and road safety go hand in hand. In Latin America, we often use our northern neighbours (the United States and Canada) as examples; however, in many ways they are on par with or even worse than developing countries, and road unsafety is one of them.
In these countries, dozens of people are killed every day by crashes or crushes, with the death toll equivalent to the crash of two (fully loaded) Boeing airplanes, and this phenomenon is becoming more and more frequent.
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Although it was understood from the beginning that public transportation could improve efficiency, it never received the attention it deserved. Under strong pressure from the automobile industry, they focused on the construction of urban highways, flyovers and interchanges without considering that their maintenance cost more than their construction. Investing resources and efforts in the rapid movement of cars is the reason for today’s serious consequences.
On the other hand, the Netherlands is at least 40 years ahead of us when it comes to preventing deaths and serious injuries from accidents, compared to Latin countries, Canada and the United States. In the Netherlands, they systematically build an environment that cares for life. They do this while ensuring efficient mobility for all, regardless of the mode of transport they use (car, bike, public transport). It is important to point out that before the 1970s, the capital of that country was like our Latin American cities today: traffic jams, street parking (not to mention that it was not safe to walk or ride a bike). So Amsterdam was not Amsterdam. What does it take to transform these “roads” into more efficient and safer spaces at the same time? Demonstrations, alliances and political will.
It wasn’t “enlightened politicians” who changed course and stopped destroying entire neighborhoods, building urban infrastructure with the shortsightedness of fast car traffic. It was organized citizens. Guatemala must move in the right direction. Understanding the stories of other countries can help them achieve greater success and avoid mistakes.
The Dutch example demonstrates how political will, backed by citizen action, can fundamentally transform urban mobility, prioritizing road safety and sustainability. In contrast, many parts of the world remain challenged by a lack of integration between transport policies and pressure from business interests that lead to unfortunate consequences. Guatemala and other countries must learn from these precedents to build a future of mobility that is safe, convenient and sustainable for all residents.
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