BIKE SANTA FE NEWS

New Mexico’s “Idaho Stop” Law went into effect statewide on Tuesday, July 1. This law allows bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and treat red lights as stop lights. Bike Santa Fe, non-profit 501(c)3 corporation educating and advocating for all cyclists in the greater Santa Fe area, has issued guidelines for both motorists and cyclists on the effects of the new law:

At a stop sign, a bicyclist is required to confirm there is no other traffic (including pedestrian traffic) that must be yielded to before rolling through the stop sign. If there is other traffic that must be yielded to, the bicyclist must come to a complete stop and yield to that traffic.

At a red light, a bicyclist must come to a complete stop and then confirm that there is no other traffic (including pedestrian traffic) that must be yielded to before proceeding through the intersection.

This law allows cyclists to get out of the dangerous intersections more quickly. Bicyclists are able to maintain momentum through intersections with stop signs. At signalized intersections, they are able to avoid turning conflicts with motorists.

For motorists, it creates more distance between them and bicycles, which is safer, and eliminates the need for vehicles to follow slower moving bicycles through an intersection once the light turns green.

To receive a pdf of the Bike Santa Fe brochure, email bikesantafe@gmail.com.

Courtesy Bike Santa Fe