Occupant Protection

The primary goal of New Mexico’s Occupant Protection (OP) Program is to reduce the number of occupant protection-related traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries.

Multimodal Planning and Programs

To achieve this goal, the NMDOT Traffic Safety Division (TSD) has developed this Occupant Protection Plan focused on increasing seatbelt use and use of child safety seats among the driving public.

Vacant, Staff Manager
505-
@dot.nm.gov

Amber Sanchez, Staff Manager
505-231-5556
amber.sanchez@dot.nm.gov

Pierrot Bendegue, Program Coordinator
505-629-3762
pierrot.bendegue@dot.nm.gov

Program Managers

District 1 Sonya Dalton 505-531-7672 sonya.dalton@dot.nm.gov	District 2 Karyssa Garcia 505-660-8103 Karyssa.Garcia@dot.nm.gov
District 3 Marcus Sandoval 505-394-1840 marcus.sandoval@dot.nm.gov	District 4 & 6 Steve Lujan 505-709-7861 steve.lujan@dot.nm.gov
District 5 John Vargas 505-231-6784 john.vargas2@dot.nm.gov	Safer New Mexico Now Eileen Rios 505-471-2239 eileenrios@safernm.org

Occupant Protection: Seatbelt and Child Passenger Safety

News and Events

Loving, NM. Car Seat Event, Feb. 19, 2026

Date February 19, 2026Time @ 9:30 am- @ 11:30 am Venue at Loving Community CenterCategory | Car Seat Inspection, Traffic Safety

Loving, NM – The New Mexico Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Division (NMDOT TSD) and Safer New Mexico Now (Safer) will host a free Car Seat Inspection Clinic from 09:30AM to 11:30PM, Thursday,

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