New July law allows certain road users to go through stop sign without coming to complete halt without fear of $25 fine

A NEW law that’s come into effect this month will allow certain road users to go through a stop sign without having to come to a complete halt.

Starting on July 1, a major US state made a change to legislation that looks to minimize unnecessary stops, improve traffic flow and make intersections safer.

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A new law has come into effect, allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs[/caption]

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The change means cyclists are able to remove themselves from the blind spot of motorists[/caption]

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New Mexico joins a host of other states who have adopted the law[/caption]

As reported by Source NM, the ruling allows those on bicycles in the state of New Mexico to ride through stop signs without coming to a full stop.

The news outlet have likened it to essentially treating a stop sign as a yield sign.

Furthermore, cyclists can stop at red traffic lights and continue even if the light hasn’t turned green – as long as it’s safe to do so.

The law, first passed in Idaho in 1882, has since come to other states – with New Mexico the latest courtesy of Senate Bill 73.

The logic behind the change is that cyclists are able to remove themselves from the blind spot of motorists who have stopped at an intersection.

Eric Biedermann, a board member at-large of nonprofit advocacy organization BikeABQ, believes being able to treat a stop sign as a yield sign and a traffic light as a stop sign helps champion safety.

He also said that it reduces their exposure to cars and reduces the risk of being “right hooked” if a car doesn’t see them.

He added: “There are a number of ways in which being able to proceed through an intersection with a head start before the cars move really enhances cyclist safety.”

Indeed, the so-called “Idaho stop” – which takes its name from the first US state to ease traffic laws for cyclists – resulted in a 14.5% reduction in cyclist injuries a year after the state of Idaho enacted a similar law in 1982, according to a review of Idaho Office of Highway Safety data.

In New Mexico, between 2019 and 2023, 1,457 cyclists had crashes, according to the University of New Mexico Geospatial and Population Studies Center.

Of those, 39 were killed and 115 were seriously injured, while 694 were able to walk away.

Lynn Pickard, a retired New Mexico Court of Appeals judge and member of Santa Fe Seniors on Bikes, said: “Anything we can do to get cyclists into and out of the intersections quickly – leaving of course, for us, to determine our own safety if there are other cars there or pedestrians there – would be really helpful for us.”

According to DrivingLaws, running a red light in New Mexico for vehicles carries a fine of $25 – meaning cyclists essentially are exempt from this long-standing rule.

This comes as drivers in Rhode Island are set to face a steep fee increase – as officials look to tackle a major safety concern on the roads.

Penalties for wrong-way driving on highways and ramps in the state have increased from $85 to a staggering $500.

Motorists also risk license suspensions of up to six months as officials ramp up punishments to deter bad behavior.

It comes as part of an initiative to minimise the threat of deadly head-on collisions and improve general road safety.

AAA Northeast has highlighted contributing factors to wrong-way crashes, such as alcohol use, driving alone and increasing age, with the state of Rhode Island noted for having high rates of impaired driving.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Raymond Hull and Sen. Matthew LaMountain, aims to deter unsafe behavior.