Bicycle Friendly Report Card: Where Does New Mexico Rank?

What is a Bicycle Friendly State Report Card?

As Spring shows its lovely face throughout the various terrains of New Mexico, bicyclists prepare for some of the most beautiful rides in the country. In order to put a spotlight on state safety for bicyclists, The League of American Bicyclists ranks each state or region by how bike friendly they are and how the state approaches bicycle safety.  This report includes ridership (how many commuters use bicycles), safety and fatality rates, federal funding and usage, state spending, and feedback for how the state can adopt and employ various bicycle safety and bike-friendly measures to increase their score.

In The Article

Is New Mexico bike friendly?

The League of American Bicyclists’ 2024 New Mexico Bike Friendly State Report Card ranks New Mexico number 35 out of 50 on a national ranking, and number 8 out of 13 on the Western Regional Rank.

However, with the beautiful scenery and the work that New Mexico has been putting into its roadways and laws, it is a bit of a surprise that we rank so low on our bike-friendly report card. As a matter of fact, in 2022, Albuquerque was ranked among one of the best cities for biking by The Extra Mile.

So why are our scores so low?

According to the report card, our bicycle safety leaves something to be desired. We rank number 33 out of 50 for bicycle safety, seeing 16.7 fatalities per 10,000 bike commuters.

Additionally, New Mexico doesn’t have two very important bicycle safety rules in place: 1. A safe passing law that requires cars to be at least three feet from bicyclists, and 2. Speed limit laws for slower roads that are frequented by bicyclists.

Which Rules of the Road Apply to People Riding Bicycles Under New Mexico Law?

In most cases, bicycle riders in New Mexico must adhere to the same rules of the road that motor vehicle drivers have to adhere to. This also gives them the same rights as other drivers on the roadways.

The exceptions to this include:

1. No person on a bike is allowed to carry a bundle, package, or bag that prevents him/her from having at least one hand on the handlebar.
2. Bicycles are not allowed to carry more than one person at a time unless they are designed to do so.
3. Bicyclists on the roadways are not allowed to ride more than two abreast (this is okay to do on paths).
4. Bicyclists riding at night must wear headlamps or have lights affixed to their bicycles: “Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the division which shall be visible from all distances from fifty feet to three hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.”
5. In addition to white front-facing lights, “A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector”.

What is the New Mexico Campaign to Promote More Awareness for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety?

Although New Mexico’s report card looks a little dismal for 2024, lawmakers have seen a lot of the issues to bicycle safety and are working on changes that can help boost our score in the coming years. Our report card does note that we spent $8.32 per capita FHWA spending on biking and walking, placing us 4^th out of 50, and we are working toward better education for bicycle safety as “NMDOT seeks to reduce the number of pedestrian bicyclist crashes in New Mexico” to help encourage biking and walking as “safe and efficient modes of transportation.”

With the Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Program, community outreach efforts work to raise awareness of the importance of drivers looking out for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The LOOK FOR ME Campaign was also designed by the UNM Center for Injury Prevention, Research and Education and the New Mexico Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Division. This campaign delivers information to drivers and bicyclists alike to help reduce accidents and deaths of New Mexico bicyclists.

As New Mexico works to make its roads safer for bicyclists, it’s important to stay aware on our roads, but if you’ve been injured in an accident involving a negligent driver, Ron Bell Injury Lawyers can help you understand your rights.  Call 898-BELL to get your free case evaluation today.