Vision Statement:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has made reducing death and injury due to DWI a personal priority. As a result, New Mexico has seen positive results in the battle against drunk driving.

For many years, New Mexico stood high in a national ranking that no state seeks or desires—per capita deaths due to alcohol-impaired driving.

However, New Mexico, is seeing results in response to its adoption of a multi-faceted, multi-agency approach to combating DWI.

New Mexico has moved out of the top ten states with the highest level of alcohol-related fatalities per miles traveled. For more info see:
http://nmshtd.state.nm.us/upload/contents/436/NR-030708-DWIFatalities.pdf

New Mexico’s DWI initiatives include:

• Enacting tough DWI laws, including mandatory ignition interlock devices for all convicted DWI offenders. http://www.dps.nm.org/lawEnforcement/dwi/dwiIgnitionInterlock.php
• Launching the statewide media campaign, "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" in New Mexico, where, thanks to help from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA), New Mexicans are seeing and hearing anti-DWI messages throughout the year, not just during Super Blitzes. To view these messages, click the "video gallery" link, or http://nmshtd.state.nm.us/stopdwi/DWIvideos.html
• Implementing the Five Counties Program in 2005. Under this program, specialized DWI law enforcement officers have been hired in Bernalillo, Dona Ana, McKinley, Rio Arriba and San Juan Counties. These are the counties in New Mexico where historically, DWI is the deadliest. Santa Fe County was added to the program in 2007.
• The New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department adopting the "Three Strikes" rule. Under this rule, revocation actions are taken against liquor establishments that either over-serve intoxicated persons or sell alcohol to underage customers.
• The Department of Public Safety (DPS) launching the Mobile Strike Unit-the unit of the Special Investigations Division of DPS that enforces the state Liquor Control Act.
• The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) partnering with the DWI Resource Center to increase non-traditional public awareness in the highest incidence DWI Counties.
• NMDOT partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to implement a school-based curriculum, "Protecting you, Protecting Me," which teaches children the dangers of alcohol consumption and DWI.

To summarize, New Mexico is resolute about reducing death and injury caused by DWI. In New Mexico, we're serious when we say, "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose."