New Mexico officials have passed a new law this week that mandates semi trucks to stay in the right lane for the most part. The legislation was introduced to regulate the movement of large vehicles on highways and limit their usage of the left lane.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lynn Lujan Grisham approved Senate Bill 102 on April 4, 2023, making it a legal statute.
The recently passed Senate Bill 102 in New Mexico states that trucks must stick to the right lane on highways with two or more lanes, except when they are overtaking other vehicles. Any truck driver who flouts this ban on left lane travel could face a penalty of up to $250.
Starting from July 1, 2023, the left lane restriction law in New Mexico will officially come into force, as per the recent legislation. The bill was proposed by Senator George Munoz in January of the same year. According to Munoz, the ban on trucks using the left lane will help to reduce traffic congestion and enhance highway safety.
Senator George Munoz had authored a similar bill last year, which had been passed by both the state House and Senate. However, the bill faced a “pocket veto” when Governor Grisham chose not to sign it into law, and it did not pass at that time.
