Statewide, NM - During the 4th of July holiday, the New Mexico State Police participated in the Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) operation across all roadways within the state.  The goal of the traffic initiative is to increase motorist safety and reduce the number of crashes through a strong law enforcement presence.

Because of the increased volume of traffic during the holiday, NMSP increased its patrol presence during this initiative on roadways throughout all State Police districts, specifically Friday, June 30 through Tuesday, July 4, 2023.

The operation resulted in State Police officers issuing over 3,000 traffic citations, 128 citations were for lack of seat belt usage, and arresting 30 drunk drivers statewide.  Officers investigated a total of 67 crashes, with 6 being fatal. The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau issued 293 commercial vehicle citations and conducted over 1,300 commercial vehicle inspections.

The safety of motorists is a top priority of the New Mexico State Police and officers will continue holiday travel operations throughout the year.  We encourage the public to drive safely and obey all laws while traveling the motorways of New Mexico.