New Rules Aim to Reduce Accidents and Safeguard Pedestrians, Cyclists, Motorcyclists, Public Transport Users, and Drivers
The State of Mexico government has updated its Traffic Regulations to prevent accidents, save lives, and protect children by introducing new provisions that favor pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and drivers under the principle of “safety first.”
Key Changes in the Updated Regulations:
- Reduce accidents and protect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, public transport users, and drivers.
- Eliminate fixed fines and apply proportional sanctions based on recidivism without increasing existing amounts.
- Implement “smart” infractions only in confined lanes and bike lanes with clear signage, ensuring the right to an audience.
The reform, directed by Governor Delfina Gómez Álvarez, places accident prevention at the forefront with clear rules, proportional sanctions, and measures that encourage safe and inclusive mobility for everyone.
Additional Objectives:
- Provide legal certainty to citizens by clarifying traffic regulations.
- Ensure exclusive use of confined lanes and bike lanes, prohibiting circulation, turning, stopping, or maneuvering within them.
- Require drivers to yield to pedestrians and cyclists, as well as alternate passage at intersections and crossings.
- Reiterate the prohibition of driving under the influence of alcohol or toxic substances.
Motorcyclist-Specific Regulations:
Only those aged 18 and above with a license issued after passing the theoretical exam and obtaining the corresponding certification from the Secretariat of Mobility can operate motorcycles.
- Wearing a certified and well-maintained helmet is mandatory, with a validity period not exceeding five years.
- Transporting children or teenagers who cannot securely hold on is prohibited.
- Overtaking should only be done on the left lane, and carrying loads that compromise balance or visibility is forbidden.
Fairer Sanctions:
The regulation eliminates fixed fines and replaces them with a tiered system:
- Minimum fine for those without pending infractions.
- Medium fine for those with two or three infractions.
- Maximum fine — without exceeding current limits — for repeat offenders with four or more infractions. Current fine limits remain as the upper bound.
Only Traffic Agents can impose sanctions, while Viality Agents will oversee compliance. The traffic violation ticket must include precise requirements — license plate, entity, reason, and the agent’s signature — to strengthen legal certainty.
Smart Infractions:
Smart infractions will only apply to confined lanes and bike lanes with visible signage, calibrated equipment, and guaranteed rights to an audience and defense.
- Resources collected from confined lane infractions will fund pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure construction, directly benefiting the community.
- Strengthened coordination mechanisms between traffic, public safety, and civil protection authorities will enable immediate incident response to safeguard circulation and protect individuals’ integrity.
The updated State of Mexico Traffic Regulations will take effect on November 25th. These reforms aim to bolster road safety and ensure secure mobility for all who travel within the Mexico State territory through actions and measures that protect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and drivers while promoting equitable public road usage.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main goal of the updated regulations? The primary objective is to prevent accidents, save lives, and protect children by introducing new provisions that favor all road users.
- What changes have been made to fines? Fixed fines have been eliminated, replaced by a tiered system based on recidivism without increasing existing amounts.
- What are the new regulations for motorcyclists? Only those aged 18 and above with proper certification can operate motorcycles. Helmet usage is mandatory, and transporting unsecured children or teenagers is prohibited.
- How will smart infractions work? Smart infractions will apply only to confined lanes and bike lanes with clear signage, ensuring the right to an audience. Resources collected from these infractions will fund pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure.
