Motorists who text and drive and who are careless and reckless could be hit with higher fines if SB 55 becomes law.
Sponsor Senate Minority Caucus Chair Steve Neville (R-Farmington) hopes increased fines will make motors and law enforcement authorities pay more attention to obeying and enforcing the laws. He said he hopes higher fines of $100 or more compared to the current $25 fine for texting and driving and reckless driving will be more of an incentive to pay attention. More of an incentive for motorists to pay attention on the roads and for law enforcement to issue tickets and follow up with them in court. Careless driving would have a first offense fine of $100
“Distracted driving can seriously hurt innocent people, so it should hurt the distracted driver more in the pocketbook. Maybe that will wake them up to paying more attention,” Senator Neville said. “Distracted driving is a real problem in New Mexico. It is approaching the rate of DWI in our state.”
Senator Neville was asked to sponsor the bill from the current reining Mrs. New Mexico whose father, a prominent resident of Farmington, was killed and her mother was seriously injured by a distracted driver a year and a half ago.
Currently some cities might have increased their distracted driving fines in their own communities while many rural areas have the low $25 fines.
According to Legislative Report:
Senate Bill 55 amends:
Section 66-8-113 NMSA 1978 to increase fines for reckless driving for the first conviction from $25.00 to $100.00 and for subsequent conviction from $50.00 to $300.00.
Section 66-8-114 NMSA 1978 is amended to include a fine for the first conviction of careless driving of not less than $100.00 or more than $500.00 and on the subsequent conviction not less than $500.00 and no more than $1,000.00.
Section 66-8-116 NMSA 1978 is amended to increase the fines for texting while driving from $25.00 to 100.00 for the first violation and for subsequent violation from $50.00 to $200.00. Using a handheld mobile communication device while driving a commercial vehicle fines increase from $25.00 to $100.00 for the first offence and from $50.00 to $200.00 for the subsequent violation.