Improper Speed or Distance

New Mexico law designates certain dangerous operating practices as illegal.

Improper Speed or Distance is not maintaining a proper speed or distance while operating a motorboat or PWC or while towing a person on water skis, surfboards, or similar devices. Specifically, it is unlawful to:

• Operate at any speed greater than is reasonable or proper according to conditions prevailing at the time.
• Operate at any speed that would not allow the operator to avoid swamping or colliding with any other watercraft or person.
• Operate at greater than “slow, no wake speed” within 150 feet of launch ramps, docks, mooring lines, beached or anchored vessels that are within 150 feet of shore, swimmers, fishermen, or areas designated for no-wake boating.
• Operate within 150 feet of swimmers, water-skiers, fishermen, and diver-down flags—unless you also are participating in the same activity.
• Tow a water-skier or persons on similar devices such that the towed object comes within 150 feet of any public dock (other than a ski dock), mooring line, launching ramp, boat, fisherman, swimmer, or person not also engaged in the same activity.
• Fish from a vessel that is drifting or trolling within 150 feet of any marina, boat ramp, or courtesy dock.