Buy Tires on Sale in New Mexico: But Not Until You’ve Read This Guide!

New Mexico's traffic can get pretty congested, especially during peak hours in built-up areas and during holiday weekends in and out of the cities. Not to mention dangerous when severe weather sets in. Peak traffic times in the cities are 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. and again from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., so it's always best to take less popular routes, and try to avoid traveling during these times if you can.

Check out these listed websites to stay up to date on road conditions, accidents, and weather warnings and view live traffic cam feeds.

• New Mexico KOAT Action 7 Traffic News
• Via Michelin Live Traffic Info New Mexico
• Local Conditions Weather & Traffic Updates
• New Mexico Live Traffic Cams

There is no actual mandate for a seasonal tire changeover, and New Mexico is one of only 6 states that have absolutely no restrictions on studded tires or snow chains. That being said, with the Land of Enchantment having the most varying degrees when it comes to temperatures out of any of the states, it's important to have the right tires for your vehicle for all the different climate conditions.

Summer season

During the excruciatingly hot temperatures that NM summers bring, the kind where you can fry an egg on your hood, performance, or summer tires is where it's at. New Mexico’s average summer temperature is 92°F which means you’ll need soft rubber tires with lots of sticky additives to ensure your vehicle sticks to the road.

These tire types are amazing for the warmer weather, however, when temps cool as we head into the winter season they will simply not perform like they do in the heat. The soft rubber will harden, possibly even freeze and lock up causing your vehicle to slide dangerously with no traction to the road, meanwhile accelerating will become increasingly difficult not to mention dangerous the colder it gets.

Winter season

So, depending on your location within the state, you’ll either need to switch over to all-season or M+S (mud and snow) tires for the cooler months (for folks in the southern regions) or one of the many types of winter tires for those located more towards the north.

Driving more on unpaved roads?

Did you know that 75% of New Mexican roads are unpaved? If you find yourself driving on these more often than not, we recommend using tires made specifically for dirt and gravel roads. You’ll find a great selection of all terrain tires on our website, and you can customize the filters to specify winter, summer, or all-season tire types, which will have you covered for the ever-changing climate.

Overtaking on the left: NM Stat § 66-7-310 - Drivers must drive in the right lane and use the left lane for passing only. Drivers must keep right unless overtaking another vehicle; when the right lane is closed to traffic for repair; upon a roadway with three marked traffic lanes; or upon a roadway designated for one-way traffic.

Licenses and permits: NM Stat § 66-5-8 - Getting your license and your still a minor? New Mexico requires all drivers under the age of 18 to go through the graduated license system. The steps are as follows:

1. The instructional permit is available at 15 years old and is for those who are taking an approved driver’s education course.
2. The provisional license is available after satisfying all requirements and is available from 15 years and 6 months of age. It allows for driving unsupervised during daylight hours.
3. The unrestricted driver’s license is available after holding a provisional license for 12 months and not being convicted of any traffic violation for the preceding 90 days.

Seat belts: NM Stat § 66-7-369 - Seat belts are required for everyone in the vehicle. Children under 12 years of age must be in a safety seat or booster appropriate for their size and weight. If they are larger than the booster seat recommendations, they must be in a properly adjusted seat belt.

Right of way: NM Stat § 66-7-332.1, NM Stat § 66-7-337 - Getting your license and your still a minor? New Mexico requires all drivers under the age of 18 to go through the graduated license system. The steps are as follows:

School buses: NM Stat § 66-7-347 - Unless on the opposite side of a divided highway with a median, all vehicles must stop for a school bus with its lights flashing. Motorists can’t start driving again until all children have completely exited the roadway.

Speed regulations: NM Stat § 66-7-301 - Standard speed limits in New Mexico are determined by the areas in which you drive unless otherwise signposted.

• 15 miles per hour on all highways when passing a school while children are going to or leaving school and when the school zone is properly posted
• 30 miles per hour in a business or residence district
• 55 miles per hour on a county road, as defined in Section NM Stat § 66-7-304, without a posted speed limit
• 75 miles per hour on highways unless otherwise signposted

Following too closely: NM Stat § 66-7-318 - Drivers must leave three seconds of space or three hundred feet between them and any vehicle they are following. This should increase based on traffic, weather, and road conditions and only doesn’t apply to funeral processions.

Cell phones and texting while driving: NM Stat § 66-7-375, NM Stat § 66-7-374 - It is illegal to use a handheld device for calls or texting while driving a vehicle.

New Mexico State Legislature NM Stat § 66-7-351 prohibits stopping, standing, or parking vehicles:

1. On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street, on a sidewalk, within an intersection, or in a crosswalk.
2. On any bridge or other elevated structure, on a highway, or within a highway tunnel.
3. Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone
4. Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk.
5. Within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic-control signal located at the side of a roadway.
6. On any railroad tracks, on any controlled-access highway, in front of a public or private driveway, within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station, within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing, or at any place where traffic-control devices prohibit parking.

The percent of visible light allowed through your tinted windows is called VLT: Visible Light Transmission. The guidelines for the percentage of light allowed through your film and glass in Utah are detailed below.

New Mexico’s window tinting law NM Stat § 66-3-846.1 came into effect in 1997 and consists of the following rules.

Tint darkness for Sedans

The windshield can have a non-reflective tint above the manufacturer's AS-1 line or top 5 inches. The front side, back side, and rear windows must allow more than 20% of light in.

Tint darkness for SUVs and vans

The windshield can have a non-reflective tint above the manufacturer's AS-1 line or top 5 inches. The front side must allow more than 20% of light in, whereas the back side and rear windows allow any level of darkness.

Window tint reflection in New Mexico

Window tints can reflect incoming light and reduce glare and heat. New Mexico’s window tint law permits that all 3 vehicle types must not have any level of mirrored appearance on any front side, back side, or rear windows.

Window tint reflection in New Mexico

• Side Mirrors: Dual side mirrors are required if any window behind the driver is tinted
• Restricted Colors: Red, amber, and yellow colors are not permitted
• Certificates: Manufacturers of film need to certify the film they sell in the state. Ask your dealer if they are using certified film
• Stickers: The sticker to identify legal tinting is required between the film & glass on every tinted window
• Fines: If your window tints don’t meet these requirements and you are pulled over by the police, you will receive a traffic infraction, and receive a petty misdemeanor along with a $75 fine
• Medical Exceptions: New Mexico allows medical exemptions for special tint

Want to know more? Check out car tinting laws in New Mexico for more details. Or if you are interested in learning more about all aspects of tinting, including windows, headlight tints, car wraps, and even commercial tinting, you’ll find all of that and more in great detail here.

New Mexico's legislative laws on motorcycle helmets NM Stat § 66-7-356 are as follows.

• Everyone, driver and any passengers must wear a helmet that complies with federal regulations. The protective headgear must have a continuous solid chin strap, and be sufficiently padded.
• Riders must also wear protective glasses, goggles, or a transparent face shield unless the motorcycle is equipped with a protective windshield.
• You cannot rent or lease a motorcycle if you are under 18 years of age unless you have a valid driver's license or permit and possess the correct safety equipment required of an operator.
• No person shall carry any passenger under the age of eighteen on any motorcycle unless the passenger is wearing a securely fastened safety helmet, as specified in this section, meeting the standards specified by the secretary.

Autocycles are exempted from the helmet provisions of this section.

New Mexico is a vast stretch of landscape with much of its stunning vista uninhabited. Interestingly, most of the major highways have been replaced with newer interstates over the years, like US Route 66 now being the I-40, and US Route 80 is now the I-10. Only 25% of NM’s roads are paved, and these are imperative for connecting major cities and smaller towns, from one side of the state to the other, as well as making interstate trips to neighboring states a breeze.

Interstate 40 (formerly Route 66) - This is the major east-west route in the north, connecting Alberquerque with Flagstaff, Arizona from the west and Amarillo, Texas in the east along 374 miles of road. It is the direct replacement for the historic Route 66, which you can still see signs for while traveling along this modern replacement.

Interstate 25 - Is the major north-south road across the state, starting at Las Cruces near the Mexico border and heading 460 miles in a northwesterly direction connecting the towns of Truth or Consequences, Socorro, and Belen with Albuquerque. It then traverses northeast through Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and Raton, before crossing the Colorado state line.

Interstate 10 - Travelling west-east from the Arizona state line to Las Cruces, then heading south to the Texas state line, the I-10 connects Lordsburg, Deming, and Las Cruces towns in southern New Mexico with the neighboring states, and also the I-25 to reach the northern part of the state. It replaced US Route 80 in 1989.

US Route 491 - U.S. 491 is a highway running north-south, servicing the Four Corners region of the United States. It was created in 2003 for the purposes of renaming U.S. Route 666, as the U.S. 666 was believed to be cursed because of its satanic connotations and high fatality rate, and was nicknamed the "Devil's Highway". It's been reported since its name change far fewer fatalities have occurred on the 193-mile stretch from Gallup, hedging north to the Colorado border. It is also a part of the “Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byways”.

US Route 550 - U.S 550 runs 176 miles, north-south from Bernalillo, New Mexico connecting San Ysidro, Cuba, Bloomfield, and Aztec to Durango, Colorado. It is one of the roads on the “Trails of the Ancients Byway”, one of the designated New Mexico Scenic Byways.

There are 26 Scenic Byways that cover the diverse lands of New Mexico, routes through the Rockies or the stunning white Chichachan desert, and everything in between. Get your SUV or ATV ready for some intense off-roading driving glory with a few of the routes and don’t forget your camera as you immerse yourself in the truly stunning landscapes, diverse culture, and interesting ancient history.

Billy the Kid Scenic Byway

This is a great trail for the cowboy lovers amongst us! Billy the Kid Scenic byway takes you on an 84-mile trek showcasing New Mexico’s most famous outlaw. Starting at Ruidoso Downs, the 2 hour round trip takes in the sights of Billy the Kid Interpretive Center, Dowlin’s Historic Old Mill, soaring white limestone façade of the Spencer Theater, Fort Stanton, Smokey Bear Museum & Historical Park, and then on to the Lincoln State Monument, a one-street town frozen in the 1870s and 1880s where Billy the Kid made his mark.

Route 66 National Scenic Byway

Legendary Route 66 Scenic Byway enters New Mexico from the east and spans the entire width taking in Los Lunas and Alburquerque. Prepare to traverse this mother road with plentiful maps and pre-planning as there are countless twists, turns, and dead-ends that make up this trail due to the modernization of the replacement road I-40. Teeming with neon lights and 1950’s diners of a bygone era, the byway takes you across rocky outcrops, prairie lands, and many landmarks steeped in rich history. Revel in the vast desert landscape as it eventually morphs into wooded hills and valleys, and get a cultural hit from the ancient adobe villages you’ll pass through that existed long before the realization of this infamous route.

The Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway

Very much living up to its name, The Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway offers its motorists a taste of everything that New Mexico has on offer. Located in the northeast of the state, take a step back in time driving the 84-mile loop and discover NM’s first ever incorporated village, Elizabethtown, now an eerie ghost town, historic multi-story dwellings in Taos Pueblo dating back to the 1400s, stunning backdrops to famous movies such as “Easy Rider” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. Immerse yourself in the artistic vibes of Taos, the bridge to nowhere (The Rio Grande Gorge bridge), the D.H. Lawrence Ranch, Questa for hiking and camping at Cabresto Lake, Mallette Canyon, and Midnight Meadows, and The Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel just west of Angel Fire.

Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway

An alternative route connecting Alburquerque with the state capital city Santa Fe, the 52-mile byway, named “Turquoise Trail”, after the precious stones found within this region, will take you through many quirky little towns and great attractions. Take your time and savor the Turquoise Trail Sculpture Garden, Connie’s Photo Park, Cerrillos Turquoise Mining Museum and Petting Zoo, Casa Grande Trading Post, Cerrillos Hills State Park, and Cerrillos Station, Indigo Gallery, and Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway.

Geronimo Trail National Scenic Byway

Starting this circular trek off in the quirky town of Truth or Consequences in the south, the Geronimo Trail Byway is aptly named after fierce Chiricahua Apache warrior Geronimo, who defended his land and lead his people against both the Mexicans and Americans encroaching on their land more than a century ago. This beautiful slice of the south includes stunning landscapes around New Mexico’s largest lake, Elephant Butte Lake and State Park, and encompasses many scenic stops like Kickingldo Leopold Wilderness, Percha Dam State Park, Caballo Lake State Park, Geronimo Trail Visitors’ Center, and Geronimo Springs Museum. You’ll drive through some old silver mining towns Chloride and Winston, which are interesting ghost towns and relics of a different time.

Here are some fascinating facts you might not know about New Mexico:

• Santa Fe is the nation’s highest elevated state capital at 7,000 feet above sea level
• You can see five different states from the top of Capulin Volcano, these include Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma
• The first atomic bomb was exploded in New Mexico
• New Mexico is home to more UNESCO World Heritage Sites (3) than any of the other states: Carlsbad Caverns, Taos Pueblo, and Chaco Culture.
• Dancing in a sombrero is illegal!
• There are many more sheep and cattle in the state than people.
• New Mexico has one of the greatest temperature ranges in the United States
• With 50 wineries located across the state, the oldest dating as far back as 1629, New Mexico is America’s biggest producer of world-renowned wines
• New Mexico has more PhDs per capita than any other state
• Smokey Bear, the firefighting awareness character and living symbol is from New Mexico.