A new law in New Mexico banning drivers from sending and looking at text messages on their cellphones while behind the wheel will go into effect on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 19 was signed by Gov. Susana Martinez in March, and aims to prevent distracted driving, according to The Farmington Daily Times. Drivers who text while their vehicles are in motion will receive a $25 fine for the first violation and a $50 fine for subsequent violations.
The law states that a person, while driving a motor vehicle, cannot read or view a text or manually type on a mobile device for any reason. One exception is for contacting emergency help.
Using smartphones and other wireless devices to search the Internet will also be prohibited, Las Cruse Sun-News reported. However, drivers are allowed to pull over to the side of the road to send and receive texts. Another exception applies to using hands-free or voice-operated devices for sending texts.
"This law will save lives and make New Mexico roads safer," said Sen. Peter Wirth, who sponsored the bill in the Legislature.
"New Mexicans need to understand that texting while driving is six times more dangerous than drinking and driving," he stated Monday. "If you have to look at your phone, pull off the road."
The law extends the state's ban on texting while driving, which originally only applied to teenage drivers with a learner's or provisional license.
Chris Schueler, executive director of Safeteen New Mexico, referenced a Liberty Mutual Insurance/Students Against Destructive Decisions survey taken in 2012 when talking about the dangers of texting while driving. In the survey, 91 percent of teenagers reported seeing their parents talking on the phone and 59 percent saw their parents texting while behind the wheel, The Farmington Daily Times reported.
"The reason it's important is because teens follow their parents' behavior," Schueler said. "Those are amazing statistics. Parents need to be aware of that."
Farmington police Sgt. Dave Monfils said the new law will be enforced by his police department, which is looking to use unmarked police cars to help enforce it.
"When someone sees a police officer, they put the phone away," Monfils said. "We're going to get them and let them know, you may never know when you are next to a police officer."
