FLASHING RED LIGHTS ON RECOVERY & REPAIR CARS

SB0207

SENATE BILL 207

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

AN ACT

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; ALLOWING RECOVERY AND REPAIR
VEHICLES TO USE FLASHING RED LIGHTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
Section 66-3-835 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978,
Chapter 35, Section 141, as amended) is amended to read:

"66-3-835. SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS ON LAMPS.--

A. Lighted lamps or illuminating devices upon a
motor vehicle, other than headlamps, spot lamps, auxiliary
lamps, flashing turn signals, emergency vehicle warning lamps
and school bus warning lamps, that project a beam of light of
an intensity greater than three hundred candle power shall be
directed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the
beam strikes the level of the roadway on which the vehicle
stands at a distance of more than seventy-five feet from the
vehicle.

B. A person shall not drive or move upon a highway
a vehicle or equipment with a lamp or device displaying a red
light visible from directly in front of the center of the
vehicle or equipment, except as expressly authorized or
required by the Motor Vehicle Code.

C. Flashing lights are prohibited except as
provided in this section and except on authorized emergency
vehicles, school buses, snow-removal equipment and
highway-marking equipment. Except as otherwise provided in
this section, flashing red lights may be used as warning lights
on disabled or parked vehicles and on any vehicle as a means of
indicating a turn.

D. A recovery or repair vehicle standing on a
highway for the purpose of removing, and actually engaged in
removing, a disabled vehicle may display flashing lights in any
color [
except red
]. This provision shall not be construed as
permitting the use of flashing lights by recovery or repair
vehicles in going to or returning from the location of disabled
vehicles or while engaged in towing a disabled vehicle.

E. Only fire department vehicles, law enforcement
agency vehicles, ambulances and school buses may display
flashing red lights visible from the front of the vehicle. All
other vehicles authorized by the Motor Vehicle Code to display
flashing lights visible from the front of the vehicle may use
any other color of light that is visible."

SECTION 2.
EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is July 1, 2026.

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