Albuquerque Community Bike Recyce Program needs your help.
*
"No Bikes" on Chappell, click here
*
Careless Driving Penalty Enhancement Bill
Thanks to all the efforts made in contacting the Governor's Office,
the bill was introduced January 18, 2012.
Now, the next step is to conatct your New Mexico Senator and Representative urging them to support House Bill 12.
You can track the bill to follow it's progress. There are also opportunities to contact House and Senate Committee members who will review the bill. Include the text of the bill (or as an attachment) any time you write asking for support, along with a short statement about why HB12 is important to you.
February 11, 2012 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Biker Day at the Capitol
Join us in the rotunda at the Round House to rally for HB12!
Ride your bicycle or motorcycle (weather permitting).
Come out and show your support.
The way NM law is currently written there is no difference in penalty options for "careless driving" that causes no injuries and "careless driving" that causes the death or severe bodily injury of another road user. You can do your part to change this. Contact your elected officials today.
Crashes that killed James Quinn, Roy Sekreta, John Anczarski, Heather Reu and Dan Montoya, as well as the crash that severely injured both John and Liz Mazzola also illustrate this situation.
New Mexico law defines “careless driving” as operating “a vehicle in a careless, inattentive or imprudent manner without due regard for the width, grade, curves, corners, traffic, weather, road condition and all other attendant circumstances” (NMSA 1978; 66-8-114). Currently the penalty stipulated for drivers found guilty of "careless driving" is covered by NMSA 66-8-7 which stipulates “…every person convicted of a misdemeanor for violation of any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code shall be punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300) or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days or both.”
This bill will increase the penalties from a traffic misdemeanor to the level of a full or high Misdemeanor.
31-19-1. Sentencing authority[;] misdemeanors; imprisonment and fines; probation.
A. Where the defendant has been convicted of a crime constituting a misdemeanor, the judge shall sentence the person to be imprisoned in the county jail for a definite term less than one year or to the payment of a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or to both such imprisonment and fine in the discretion of the judge.
Although bicyclists and motorists are working together to see NM Law improved, the proposed changes do not single out any specific type of road user. Pedestrians, construction workers, police and all emergency responders as well as people in cars will all afforded increased legal protection with this change.
“We don’t think that this kind of legislation will immediately make all of us safer on New Mexico streets and highways, but we do think it is an important component in improving road safety” said DCWF Vice-President Steve Mathias. He continued “Our organization is committed to working on this again in the 2012 legislative session, teaming up with NMMRO and Rep. Miera and anyone else interested in pursuing new death or serious bodily injury by careless driving legislation” Sherry Anderson, a member of the DCWF Board of Directors agrees, emphasizing the fact that this is an important approach to saving lives.
John Mazzola put it this way “As with all behavior, if the consequences of transgression are non-existent, the behavior will continue unchanged. It's time for New Mexico to promote a new awareness that four wheeled motor vehicle drivers aren't the only legal and accountable users of our public byways.”
Contact your Senator and Representative today urging them to support Houst Bill 12.
This only a 30 day session, so don't delay.
Op-Ed in Santa Fe New Mexican 12/27/2011
The crash that claimed Heather Reu's life in 2009 was caused by a distracted driver.
It is heartbreaking that there is a 2012 story to add to this page with almost the same script. Scott Duane Lane was killed January 10, 2012 by a driver so distracted she didn't even know she had run a red light.
KOAT-TV and KOB-TV have covered the Reu case and the ongoing efforts to increase the penality options when crashes like this happen.
KOAT-TV reports on two crashes in Albuquerque last week and this legislative initiative on January 14, 2012.