The Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality believes that car rental companies should participate in the Marianas Visitors Authority\u2019s tour guide certification program to educate tourists on the dos and don\u2019ts while driving in the CNMI. <\/p>\n
As tourists continue to return to the CNMI, former concerns start to resurface like the practice of proper road laws and more. <\/p>\n
According to BECQ administrator Eli Cabrera, it might be time that car rental companies be required to undergo tour guide certification training in order to properly educate their clients about the CNMI\u2019s driving laws. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe MVA\u2019s program is supposed to take care of some of these concerns through their tour guide certification. I hope that car rentals are included because that\u2019s mostly where tourists go,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Division of Environmental Quality director Ray Masga said that it\u2019s important that car rental companies are educated because most tourists are first-timers and know little of Saipan and its rules and regulations in terms of driving safety. <\/p>\n
\u201cThese could also be first time tourists. They don\u2019t know what the rules are but the only place they would get first-hand information from is where they get the vehicles,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
One of the most common concerns reported, according to both Cabrera and Masga, was driving on beaches and even driving straight into open water. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the issues we brought up was this, driving into the sand, so if they were part of the certification, these car rentals are suppose to instruct their clients not to drive on the sand or into the water,\u201d Masga said. <\/p>\n
Cabrera said that the Department of Public Safety should also be vigilant in enforcing the prohibition of driving on beaches with the tourists. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have all the necessary tools but it\u2019s the enforcement. DPS is patrolling the roads every day \u2026 so DPS is the most appropriate people to do these kinds of things\u2026. DPS should do their part, citation, and rental companies should know better. They will never know until they get that citation,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
BECQ is urging community members to report tourists if they are seen driving on beaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey might spill gas or a drop of oil from the engine could go into the beach and the sand\u2026many things can happen \u2026If they call us, we can contact DPS immediately and they\u2019ll be on the way\u2026call us and we\u2019ll respond immediately,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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