What Are the Graduated License Laws for New Teen Drivers in New Mexico?

Teenagers learning to drive are less experienced drivers who are more likely to engage in unsafe driving practices and to cause serious car accidents. In New Mexico, these new drivers must follow graduated license laws before they are allowed to obtain full driving privileges.

Graduated License Laws for Teen Drivers

Graduated license laws are designed to give new teen motorists the opportunity to gain experience driving safely before they are allowed to drive on their own and have been found to reduce the likelihood that a teenager will cause a tragic crash. In New Mexico, all drivers under 18 years old are required to comply with the state’s graduated licensing law. There are three stages of a graduated license:

• Permit. The first stage is to obtain a permit. A teen must be at least 15 years old and must have enrolled in or completed a state-approved driver education program. He can only drive with a driver who is 21 years old or older and who has held a license for at least three years.
• Provisional license. In order to obtain a provisional license, a teen must be 15 and 1/2 years old and have held his permit for at least six months. He must have passed the driver education program, completed 50 hours of driving, with 10 hours being at night, and pass a driving test. He must drive with a provisional license for 12 months and comply with the restrictions on driving, which include only driving with a responsible adult between 12:00 am and 5:00 am.
• Unrestricted driver’s license. To qualify for an unrestricted driver’s license, a teen must complete the provisional license stage, have no traffic violations within the last 90 days, and not have been convicted of an alcohol or drug offense during the provisional license stage of his driving.

What Should You Do If a Teen Driver Causes Your Car Accident?

You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries if you prove a teen driver’s negligence caused your auto collision. If the teen was on his parent’s auto insurance policy or a parent provided the motor vehicle for the family’s general use, his parents may also face liability to compensate you.

Our experienced car accident attorneys are here to explain your legal options to you, file your claim with negligent parties’ insurance companies, and fight for the compensation that you deserve. Call our Roswell injury office to schedule your free consultation today.