All state and college traffic and parking regulations governing the use of motor vehicles must be complied with on all parts of the college campus throughout all hours of the day or night. Anyone operating a motor vehicle on the NMJC campus found in violation of traffic and/or parking regulations will be subject to various sanctions, which may include temporary vehicle immobilization, payment of fine/fees, vehicle towed from campus at owner/driver expense, and/or suspension of campus driving privileges. NMJC Campus Safety, Hobbs Police Department, Lea County Sheriff’s Department, and/or New Mexico State Police Officers have jurisdiction and authority to enforce traffic violations.
All students must register their vehicle(s) with the Student Life office and display their registration stickers at all times from the rearview mirror. Failure to comply will result in possible disciplinary action.
Traffic Regulations
All motor vehicles operating on campus must be registered within 10 days of the beginning of the initial semester of attendance. Vehicle registration can be done in the Student Life Office for free. Students must complete a form providing all necessary information to receive their parking permits.
The maximum speed limits on the College campus are 15 miles per hour. Vehicles may be operated on the circle drive and within designated parking lots only. Vehicle access to inner campus is prohibited unless prior arrangements have been made through NMJC Campus Safety or the NMJC Physical Plant.
Students, faculty, and staff may park in any available parking space except for those spaces designated for handicapped, visitors, reserved for college administrators, or clearly marked parking area reserved for other use.
Only vehicles displaying an official handicap permit may park within spaces identified for handicapped use. According to New Mexico Motor Vehicle Code 66-7-352.2, it is unlawful for any person to park a motor vehicle not displaying a special registration plate or a parking placard in a designated disabled parking space. NMJC Campus Safety employees are permitted to issue handicap violations citations. NMJC’s parking citation fines are listed in this section under Vehicle Violations.
According to New Mexico Motor Vehicle Code 66-7-352.2, if the handicap citation is issued by a law enforcement agency or non-NMJC public safety/security employee, the fine shall not be less than $250 and not more than $500 for each offense. A vehicle that blocks any part of a curb cut designed for access by persons with severe mobility impairment is also considered a violation of this statute. The statute also permits the towing of vehicles at the expense of the vehicle owner for violators of this statute.
Students, faculty, and staff are required to comply with the direction of individuals representing NMJC in the enforcement of the NMJC Traffic and Parking Regulations. NMJC assumes no liability and no responsibility for losses from fire, theft, or vandalism when cars are parked on the college campus.
Vehicle Violations and Fines
The following fine assessment schedule addresses penalties for vehicular violations. The fines listed are only for citations issued by NMJC Campus Safety and not for citations that might be issued by the Hobbs Police Department, New Mexico State Police, or Lea County Sheriff’s Department. All fines shall be payable directly to the Student Life Office. Vehicle owner’s failure to find citation on his/her vehicle will not invalidate fine. Failure to pay fine will result in further disciplinary action which may include suspension from NMJC until record is cleared.
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Failure to register vehicle | $10 |
| Failure to stop or yield | $25 |
| Parking in “No Parking Zone” (yellow curb) | $10 |
| Parking in fire lane/fire zone | $25 |
| Parking in handicapped space without proper permits | $25 |
| Parking outside designated space | $10 |
| Other (dependent on specific violations) | Up to $50 |
Roller Skates, Rollerblades, Scooters, Skateboards, & Other Coasting Devices
The responsible use of alternative transportation methods including skateboards, roller skates, rollerblades, scooters, and other coasting devices (hereafter referred to collectively as “coasting devices”) are allowed on the campus of New Mexico Junior College as a way of reducing reliance on motorized transportation and promoting healthy exercise. Persons may coast or ride upon any sidewalk or improved surface used for pedestrian purposes, subject to the following restrictions:
- No lithium-ion-powered, self-balancing scooters or hoverboards may be stored in any College residential housing facility and may only be stored in approved designated areas. (https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety- Education/Safety-Education-Centers/hoverboards).
- Users must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on foot at all times in addition to golf carts that might be used by employees while working on the interior of the campus.
- Coasting devices may not be used in any manner that places pedestrians at risk.
- The speed of the device must not exceed 5 miles per hour and the user must remain in control of their coasting device at all times. Riding coasting devices down hills, including the incline at the Western Heritage Museum, is prohibited.
- Coasting devices are not vehicles, and their use is prohibited on roadways and in all parking lots on the campus.
- The use of the devices for acrobatics, racing or other stunts is strictly prohibited. Riding on any architectural or landscape features other than on a sidewalk is prohibited. All wheels of the device must be in contact with the ground when the operator is using the device.
- The use of coasting devices is prohibited within any building, any covered area and on any artificial turf on the campus.
- Persons using roller skates or rollerblades must remove them before entering all college 25 buildings.
These regulations are effective immediately and will be enforced by the NMJC Campus Safety Department. The failure to abide by the regulations can lead to the operator being removed from the campus and prohibited from coming back on the campus per the discretion of the Vice President for Student Services or designee.
Bicycle Use
Bicycle riders on public roads have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists, and are subject to the same rules and regulations. While on the NMJC campus, bicycle use is also allowed on sidewalks and pathways. Bicycles must always yield to pedestrians and are prohibited inside any building or structure.
Cautionary Note
The use of bicycles and coasting devices on the NMJC campus carries with its responsibility and potential liability. Please ride carefully and with all due consideration for the rights of others. Accidental collisions may seriously injure pedestrians, bicyclists, or other skaters. A person riding a coasting device who strikes anyone could be deemed liable for all medical expenses of that victim and any damage done to the victim’s or college property.
