66-7-373: Enforcement programs.

A. Failure to be secured by a child passenger restraint device or by a safety belt as required by the Safety Belt Use Act [66-7-370 NMSA 1978] shall not in any instance constitute fault or negligence and shall not limit or apportion damages.

B. The bureau in cooperation with the state department of public education and the department of health shall, to the extent that funding allows, provide education to encourage compliance with the use of restraint devices in reducing the risk of harm to their users as well as to others.

C. The bureau shall evaluate the effectiveness of the Safety Belt Use Act and shall include a report of its findings in the annual evaluation report on its highway safety plan that it submits to the national highway traffic safety administration and the federal highway administration under 23 U.S.C. 402.

D. The provisions of the Safety Belt Use Act shall be enforced whether or not associated with the enforcement of any other statute.