New Law Aims to Make Roads Safer for Everyone

New Mexico is taking a step towards safer roads. A new bill has passed in the Senate. It adds a special class to driver's education. This class will teach new drivers about sharing the road with others. Others include cyclists, pedestrians, and even skateboarders. The bill, called Senate Bill 73, passed with a vote of 25-16. It requires new drivers to take at least three hours of training. This training focuses on how to drive safely around vulnerable road users. These are people who are more at risk on the road. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Heather Berghmans. She believes this will make streets safer for everyone.Some senators had questions about the bill. Sen. Candy Spence Ezzell wondered why it didn't include experienced drivers. Berghmans agreed that it's a good point. But she said it would take more legislation to change that. She got the idea for the bill from Melinda Montoya. Montoya's daughter, Kayla VanLandingham, was killed while riding her bike. Montoya thinks education is a good start. But she believes more needs to be done to make drivers safer. Not everyone agreed with the bill. Sen. Steve Lanier voted against it. He thinks the real problem is distracted driving. He suggested teaching students not to use their phones or get distracted. Berghmans honored the memory of those lost in traffic accidents. She moved that the bill pass. The bill now goes to the House. Berghmans hopes this is just the first step. She wants to see more changes to improve traffic safety. The goal is to protect everyone on the road, not just drivers.