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New Mexico Phone Use While Driving Laws (2026)

Conditional: New Mexico bans texting while driving for all drivers: you may not read or view a text, email or instant message, or manually type anything on a handheld device (NMSA 1978, 66-7-374).

ConditionalVerified Sep 9, 2026
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New Mexico bans texting while driving for all drivers: you may not read or view a text, email or instant message, or manually type anything on a handheld device (NMSA 1978, 66-7-374). Holding the phone to talk is still allowed for most drivers, but for a teen on an instruction permit or provisional license any phone use while driving counts as a traffic violation that adds 30 days to the wait for a full license (66-5-1.1, 66-5-8), and commercial drivers may not use a handheld device for any purpose (66-7-375). Cities may be stricter.

Official source: nmonesource.com →

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Phone Use While Driving in states bordering New Mexico

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

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