New Mexico’s Problem with Your Best Friend’s DWI

As a best friend, you get to dish out mental and emotional support, and maybe a laugh or two, to those you care about. Friendship can be a fine line, especially since you don’t want to put yourself in a position where your friend’s trouble becomes YOUR trouble, too. Like, when your bestie has a DWI in New Mexico and an ignition interlock requirement. That’s a great time to step back and let them handle their business – just make sure that you don’t let them drive your car while you’re at it.

It is a crime in New Mexico for a person with an ignition interlock requirement to drive a vehicle that has no device installed. New Mexico is currently in “crackdown mode” with DWI offenders, both on the streets and within the legislative halls. So, anyone who is caught driving illegally (like, without an interlock) is going to face more consequences.

But, so will their friend who loaned them the interlock-free car. That means you, if you hand over your keys and let your friend drive, even if they’re sober. All DWI offenders in New Mexico have some sort of ignition interlock requirement, and that includes your best friend. Letting them drive your car is letting them drive illegally… and let’s not even talk about letting them drive your car, without an ignition interlock, if they have been drinking.

There isn’t a problem with your best friend’s DWI, as long as they are remaining compliant with their ignition interlock requirement and any other court mandates. Your job, as the best friend, is not to allow them the ability to drive your car, but to be there in other ways for support. The last thing you want is to wind up in trouble because you tried to help out a friend, only to end up with your own day in court.