A. A person who violates the provisions of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act is guilty of a penalty assessment misdemeanor. A parent, guardian or custodian who causes or knowingly permits a child under the age of eighteen years to operate an off- highway motor vehicle in violation of the provisions of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act is in violation of that act and subject to the same penalty as the child operating the off-highway motor vehicle in violation of that act.

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Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 66-3-1020

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.

B. As used in the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act, “penalty assessment misdemeanor” means violation of any provision of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act for which a violator may be subject to the following:

CLASS 1 VIOLATIONS                            SECTION VIOLATED PENALTY ASSESSMENT failure to possess a registration certificate or nonresident permit    66-3-1010.3                                         $10.00 violations involving headlights or taillights                    66-3-1010.3                                         10.00 failure to possess an off-highway motor vehicle safety permit         66-3-1010.3                                         10.00 selling a vehicle that produces noise in excess of ninety-six decibels                         66-3-1010.3                                         10.00 any violation of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act not otherwise specifically defined elsewhere in this section             66-3-1010.3                                         10.00 CLASS 2 VIOLATIONS                         SECTION VIOLATED PENALTY ASSESSMENT failure to complete a required off-highway motor vehicle safety training course                    66-3-1010.2                                         $50.00 operating a vehicle in excess of ten miles per hour within two hundred feet of a business, animal shelter, horseback rider, bicyclist, pedestrian, livestock or occupied dwelling     66-3-1010.3                                         50.00 a person under the age of eighteen but at least fifteen years of age who operates an off-highway motor vehicle in violation of the supervision requirements of the Off-Highway Motor

Vehicle Act                                    66-3-1010.3                                         50.00 operating an off-highway motor

vehicle that produces noise that exceeds ninety-six decibels                                         66-3-1010.3                                         50.00 unauthorized installation, removal, destruction or

defacing of a motor vehicle sign                 66-3-1011                                             50.00 CLASS 3 VIOLATIONS                            SECTION VIOLATED PENALTY ASSESSMENT operating a vehicle that is not equipped with an approved spark arrester                                 66-3-1010.3                                     $100.00 operating an off-highway motor vehicle while in pursuit of and with intent to hunt or take a species of animal or bird protected by law, unless otherwise authorized by the state game commission         66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 operating an off-highway motor vehicle in pursuit of or harassment of livestock in any manner that negatively affects the livestock’s condition                                         66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 operating an off-highway motor vehicle on or within an earthen tank or other structure meant to water livestock or wildlife                         66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 operating a motor vehicle in a manner that has a direct negative effect on or interferes with persons engaged in agricultural practices                                         66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 a person under the age of eighteen operating an off-highway motor vehicle without wearing eye protection and a safety helmet                                            66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 a person under the age of eighteen operating an off-highway motor vehicle while carrying a passenger            66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 a person under the age of fifteen but at least ten years of age who operates an off-highway motor vehicle in violation of the supervision requirements of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Act                         66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 a person under the age of ten operating an all-terrain vehicle or recreational off- highway motor vehicle that is not an age-appropriate size-fit or who operates an off-highway motor vehicle in violation of the supervision requirements of this section                                 66-3-1010.3                                        100.00 CLASS 4 VIOLATIONS                         SECTION VIOLATED PENALTY ASSESSMENT operating an off-highway motor vehicle in a careless, reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the person or property of another                 66-3-1010.3                                     $200.00 operating an off-highway motor vehicle on any road or area closed to off- highway motor vehicle traffic under local, state or federal regulations                                             66-3-1010.3                                         200.00 operating an off-highway motor vehicle on a limited-access highway or freeway                                     66-3-1011                                         200.00.

C. The penalty for second, third and subsequent violations within a three-year time period shall be increased as follows:

(1)     a second violation in a class 1 penalty category involving failure to possess a registration certificate or nonresident permit shall be increased to a class 2 penalty category;

(2)     any class 2 or class 3 violation for a second or greater infraction within a three-year period shall be increased to the next-highest penalty assessment category; and

(3)     each subsequent violation in a class 4 penalty category will result in an additional penalty of two hundred dollars ($200).

D. Multiple violations for the same incident shall be treated as a single event and shall not result in graduated penalties.

E. 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.

F. When an alleged violator of a penalty assessment misdemeanor elects to accept a notice to appear in lieu of a notice of penalty assessment, a fine imposed upon later conviction shall not exceed the penalty assessment established for the particular penalty assessment misdemeanor, and probation imposed upon a suspended or deferred sentence shall not exceed ninety days.