New Mexico Driving and Traffic Laws

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The state of New Mexico has written a code of laws to ensure the safety of its citizens. It has also written some rules governing the actions of the drivers and motorists on its roads. These rules must not be violated at any cost. Any person found violating these laws will be penalised heavily. Every motorist must also remember that each of these rules is written for a specific reason and any violation will put their and other people’s lives in jeopardy. One such rule would be the rule regarding the auto insurance. Auto insurance has been made mandatory in the state of New Mexico.  Auto insurance has been made mandatory to ensure that in case of an accident, the driver who caused the accident has enough finances to pay for the damages caused during the accident.

The minimum liability fixed by the state of New Mexico is of the 25/50/10 form. This stands for a minimum liability of twenty five thousand dollars for bodily injury per person and a minimum of fifty thousand dollars in total per accident. It also includes ten thousand dollars for property damage. The state of New Mexico follows the Tort system. According to the tort system, in case of an accident, the person responsible for it has to be found. Any damages caused due to the accident will have to be paid for by the driver and his insurance company.

The point system is very popular in many states and New Mexico uses it as well. Every offense will be penalised by awarding points. These points are accumulated throughout the year. If any driver has accumulated twelve points in a calendar year, his license will be revoked. It can be revoked for up to a year’s time. However, accumulation of twelve points is not the only way to lose a license.  The degree of offense and the judge who awards the sentence matter too. 

One common offense that people get a lot of points for is speeding. There is a categorised process for awarding points for speeding in New Mexico. Every road will have an established speed limit. The number of points will be decided based on the speed the driver is driving at over the established speed limit. If the driver is found speeding at more than twenty six miles per hour over and above the speed limit, he will be awarded eight points. The penalty is five points if the driver is speeding between sixteen and twenty five miles per hour. If the driver is exceeding the established speed limit by five to sixteen miles, he will earn a penalty of three points. There are no points awarded for convictions on rural highways in New Mexico.

Another serious offense would be driving under influence. A driver faces serious penalties if found driving under influence. A driver must always ensure he has his driver’s license and proof of insurance. If either one is missing, the river has to pay a large penalty. The state of New Mexico ensures the safety of its citizens and wearing seat belts is a must.