Governor Susana Martinez joined law enforcement officials to launch the Summer Safety Blast. The season-long initiative focuses on decreasing traffic deaths by enforcing DWI and seat belt laws. The safety blast includes State Police’s new zero tolerance policy on unrestrained drivers and passengers, including children not properly restrained in a child safety seat. The initiative also includes the national Click It Or Ticket seatbelt campaign and New Mexico’s 100 Days of Summer D.W.I. crackdown.

As part of the Summer Safety Blast, law enforcement officers will conduct saturation patrols looking for anyone not wearing a seatbelt. That includes youngsters not properly restrained in a child safety seat. State Police has a new zero tolerance seatbelt policy, which means no warnings will be given. You break the law, you will be cited.

Alcohol and the Law

If you are found guilty of DWI and it is your first conviction, you will pay stiff fines and court costs, and you could be sentenced to jail. You will also be ordered to treatment and to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle. MVD has the authority to revoke your driver license. Subsequent DWI convictions will result in increased fines, more jail time and a longer license revocation. Any DWI conviction will remain on your driving record for 55 years.

Seat Belt Law
In New Mexico, all passengers in the front and back seats must be wearing a seat belt. All persons in a moving vehicle, in all positions, at all times, must be belted. New Mexico has a primary enforcement seat belt law and a primary child restraint enforcement law. This means that a vehicle can be stopped for other reasons, and if the driver or any passengers are not wearing their seat belts, or children are not properly restrained, the officer can issue seat belt or child restraint violations.