CHAPTER 71

 

CHAPTER 71, LAWS 2002

 

                          AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; INCREASING THE PENALTY ASSESSMENT FOR SPEEDING IN A CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER SAFETY ZONE; EXCLUDING CERTAIN SPEEDING CONVICTIONS FROM CONSIDERATION IN ANY POINT SYSTEM USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER DRIVING PRIVILEGES SHOULD BE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED; AMENDING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978.

                            

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

 

     Section 1.  Section 66-7-301 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 405, as amended) is amended to read:

 

     "66-7-301.  SPEED REGULATION.--

 

          A.  No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than:

 

              (1)  fifteen miles per hour on all highways when passing a school while children are going to or leaving school and when the school zone is properly posted;

 

              (2)  thirty miles per hour in a business or residence district;

 

              (3)  seventy-five miles per hour; and

 

              (4)  the posted speed limit in construction zones posted as double fine zones or other safety zones posted as double fine zones as designated by the highway and transportation department, provided that the posted speed limit shall be determined by an engineering study performed by the state highway and transportation department.

 

          B.  In every event, speed shall be so controlled by the driver as may be necessary:

 

              (1)  to avoid colliding with a person, vehicle or other conveyance on or entering the highway;

 

              (2)  to comply with legal requirements as may be established by the state highway and transportation department or the New Mexico state police division of the department of public safety and the duty of all persons to use due care; and

 

              (3)  to protect workers in construction  zones posted as double fine zones or other safety zones posted as double fine zones as designated by the highway and transportation department.

 

          C.  The speed limits set forth in Subsection A of this section may be altered as authorized in Section 66-7-303 NMSA 1978."

 

     Section 2.  Section 66-8-116 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 524, as amended) is amended to read:

 

     "66-8-116.  PENALTY ASSESSMENT MISDEMEANORS--

DEFINITION--SCHEDULE OF ASSESSMENTS.--

 

          A.  As used in the Motor Vehicle Code, "penalty assessment misdemeanor" means violation of any of the following listed sections of the NMSA 1978 for which, except as provided in Subsection D of this section, the listed penalty assessment is established:

 

COMMON NAME OF OFFENSE    SECTION VIOLATED   PENALTY

                                           ASSESSMENT

Permitting unlicensed

  minor to drive            66-5-40         $ 10.00

Failure to obey sign        66-7-104          10.00

Failure to obey signal      66-7-105          10.00

Speeding                  66-7-301

  (1) up to

      and including ten

      miles an hour

      over the speed limit                    15.00

  (2) from eleven up to

      and including fifteen

      miles an hour

      over the speed limit                    30.00

  (3) from sixteen up to

      and including twenty

      miles an hour over the

      speed limit                             65.00

  (4) from twenty-one up to

      and including twenty-five

      miles an hour

      over the speed limit                   100.00

  (5) from twenty-six up to

      and including thirty

      miles an hour over the

      speed limit                            125.00

  (6) from thirty-one up to

      and including thirty-five

      miles an hour over the

      speed limit                            150.00

  (7) more than thirty-five

      miles an hour over the

      speed limit                            200.00

Unfastened safety belt66-7-372              25.00

Child not in restraint device

  or seat belt            66-7-369            25.00

Minimum speed             66-7-305            10.00

Speeding            66-7-306                15.00

Improper starting   66-7-324                10.00

Improper backing          66-7-354            10.00

Improper lane             66-7-308            10.00

Improper lane             66-7-313            10.00

Improper lane             66-7-316            10.00

Improper lane             66-7-317            10.00

Improper lane             66-7-319            10.00

Improper passing    66-7-309 through

                          66-7-312            10.00

Improper passing          66-7-315            10.00

Controlled access

  violation               66-7-320            10.00

Controlled access

  violation               66-7-321            10.00

Improper turning          66-7-322            10.00

Improper turning          66-7-323            10.00

Improper turning          66-7-325            10.00

Following too closely     66-7-318            10.00

Failure to yield    66-7-328 through

                          66-7-332            10.00

Failure to yield          66-7-332.1        25.00

Pedestrian violation      66-7-333            10.00

Pedestrian violation      66-7-340            10.00

Failure to stop     66-7-341 through

                          66-7-346            10.00

Passing school bus        66-7-347           100.00

Failure to signal         66-7-325 through

                          66-7-327            10.00

Failure to secure load    66-7-407           100.00

Operation without oversize-

  overweight permit       66-7-413            50.00

Improper equipment        66-3-801            10.00

Improper equipment        66-3-901            20.00

Improper emergency

  signal                  66-3-853 through

                          66-3-857            10.00

Operation interference    66-7-357             5.00

Littering   66-7-364                300.00

Improper parking          66-7-349 through

                          66-7-352 and

                          66-7-353             5.00

Improper parking          66-7-352.5        50.00

Improper parking          66-3-852             5.00

Failure to dim lights     66-3-831            10.00

Riding in or towing

  occupied house trailer  66-7-366             5.00

Improper opening of doors 66-7-367             5.00

No slow-moving vehicle

  emblem or flashing

  amber light             66-3-887             5.00

Open container - first

  violation               66-8-138            25.00.

 

        B.  The term "penalty assessment misdemeanor" does not include a violation that has caused or contributed to the cause of an accident resulting in injury or death to a person.

 

        C.  When an alleged violator of a penalty assessment misdemeanor elects to accept a notice to appear in lieu of a notice of penalty assessment, no fine imposed upon later conviction shall exceed the penalty assessment established for the particular penalty assessment misdemeanor and no probation imposed upon a suspended or deferred sentence shall exceed ninety days.

 

        D.  The penalty assessment for speeding in violation of Paragraph (4) of Subsection A of Section 66-7-301 NMSA 1978 is twice the penalty assessment established in Subsection A of this section for the equivalent miles per hour over the speed limit."

 

    Section 3.  A new section of the Motor Vehicle Code is enacted to read:

 

    "CERTAIN SPEEDING CONVICTIONS TO BE DISREGARDED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OR APPLICATION OF A POINT SYSTEM.--

 

        A.  Except as provided in Subsection B of this section, in developing and applying a point system that is used as a basis for suspension or revocation of driving privileges, the division shall not assign points for convictions for speeding on rural highways of the state.  As used in this section, "rural highway" means that part of a highway that is located at least two miles outside of the boundaries of an incorporated city, town or village.  The two-mile distance shall be measured:

 

            (1)  from the point where the highway crosses the boundary, and if there is more than one such intersection, from the intersection most distant from the geographic center of the city, town or village; or

 

            (2)  if there are milepost markers on the highway, to the first milepost marker indicating two or more miles.

 

        B.  The provisions of this section do not apply to:

 

            (1)  rural highways in Bernalillo county;

 

            (2)  a conviction for speeding if the citation out of which the conviction arises indicated that excessive speed of the motorist cited was a factor in the accident; or

 

            (3)  motor vehicles weighing twelve thousand pounds or more."

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HOUSE BILL 95, AS AMENDED