The average cost of a traffic ticket in New Mexico varies depending on the situation. Depending on how fast a person is going, they can face a fine that is anywhere between $25 and $200. However, there are other circumstances that can raise this fine, such as if they are driving in a school or construction zone.

These are the basics of how New Mexico’s speeding laws work, and how to avoid getting a ticket.

Speeding Tickets In New Mexico

The state of New Mexico will give you speeding tickets if you break the “Absolute Speed Limit” or if you break the “basic speeding law”. These are two different types of traffic violations in New Mexico, and they have different penalties associated with them.

Absolute Speed Limit

The absolute speed limit is the maximum speed limit that you are allowed to drive on a road in New Mexico. Generally speaking, these are the absolute speed limits in New Mexico, unless otherwise stated.

• You can drive up to 75 mph on highways.
• You can drive up to 35 mph in residential areas and business districts.
• You can drive up to 15 mph in a school zone.

This is a good rule of thumb, but it is better to pay attention to the speed limit signs that are posted on the roadway you are traveling on. Any speed limit sign that differs from this rule of thumb is going to be more accurate.

Basic Speeding Law

The basic speeding law states that you have to adjust your speed according to the conditions. This means that it is the responsibility of every driver to pay attention and adjust their speed to keep the roadway safe.

Essentially, you can still be ticketed for speeding even if you are not exceeding the absolute speed limit. Some example situations where this rule might come into play would be if you are driving in a heavy rainstorm and refuse to slow down, or if you are driving fast through heavy traffic that could get yourself or somebody else hurt.

Traffic Ticket Penalties

There are two main penalties that are associated with traffic tickets in New Mexico. These are fines and demerit points. These both work on a graduating scale and the fines are correlated to the driver’s speed compared to the reasonable safe speed or the absolute speed limit.

• If you are caught going up to 10 miles an hour over the speed limit, you will face a $25 fine.
• If you drive between 11 and 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, this fine becomes $30.
• Driving 16-20 miles an hour over the speed limit raises the fine to $65.
• Driving between 21-25 miles per hour over the speed limit warrants a $100 fine.
• Driving anywhere from 26-30 miles per hour over the limit results in a $125 fine.
• Driving between 31-35 miles per hour over the speed limit will get you a $150 fine.
• If you drive more than 35 miles per hour over the speed limit, you will be facing a fine of $200.

There are other rules and stipulations that come with this. For example, if you are caught speeding in a school zone or a construction zone, you will usually have to pay a double fine.

The other way that traffic violations are punished in New Mexico is with a system of demerit points. The number of demerit points that you get added to your license will depend on how fast you were driving. However, you can usually expect to get anywhere from three to eight demerit points added to your license if you are caught speeding.

Paying Your Ticket

The best way to deal with the problem of traffic tickets is to not drive fast in the first place. However, if you have already received a traffic ticket, you need to pay it off as quickly as you can. Unfortunately, you might not have the money readily available to be able to afford to pay for the traffic ticket cost.

When this happens, there are options that you can consider turning to for help. One of those options is getting a New Mexico auto title loan from New Mexico Title Loans, Inc. This lets you borrow the fast cash that you need, based on the title of your vehicle.

There are a lot of advantages that come with applying for an auto title loan. These advantages include:

• There is no store visit required, you can apply online and have them come to you
• You can keep your car while you are paying off the loan
• You can have your cash deposited directly into your account
• You can apply with good, bad, or nonexistent credit

Final Thoughts

The penalty for speeding in New Mexico depends on where you are driving and how fast you are driving. If you have been pulled over and need to pay the driving ticket, one option that you can turn to for help is New Mexico Title Loans, Inc.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.