New Mexico car accident statistics (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in New Mexico by year

Annual car accident deaths rose from 334 in 2020 to 399 in 2021, then fell to 395 in 2022, 355 in 2023 and 337 in 2024. The highest count was in 2021, while 2020 had the lowest. The 2024 count was 3 deaths higher than the 2020 count. All traffic deaths numbered 398 in 2020, 483 in 2021, 466 in 2022, 440 in 2023 and 409 in 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

New Mexico's share of the national car accident death total was 1.0% in 2020, 1.1% in 2021, 1.1% in 2022, 1.0% in 2023 and 1.0% in 2024. For 2020 through 2024, the state accounted for 1.0% of the national total of 176,219 deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised when NHTSA publishes the final file.

Who died in New Mexico car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 1,264 deaths, or 69.5% of car accident deaths in New Mexico from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 161 deaths, or 8.8%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 395 deaths, or 21.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in fatal crashes involving a passenger vehicle, rather than deaths across every type of traffic crash. The categories follow the FARS person and vehicle classifications. Their geographic grouping identifies where the crash happened, not where the person lived.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Collision types and setting

By first harmful event, Angle (side impact) recorded 317 deaths (17.4%); Head-on, 266 (14.6%); Rear-end, 188 (10.3%); Sideswipe, 29 (1.6%); Other, 2 (0.1%); and Unknown, 17 (0.9%). Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport recorded 1,001 deaths (55.0%). That row means the first harmful event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as a rollover or striking a fixed object. Vehicles stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime car accident deaths numbered 819 (45.0%), versus 1,000 (54.9%) at nighttime; time was unknown for 1 (0.1%). Urban deaths numbered 833 (45.8%) and rural deaths 985 (54.1%), with land use unknown for 2 (0.1%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Counties with the most car accident deaths

Bernalillo County recorded the most car accident deaths, with 496, followed by McKinley County with 110 and Doña Ana County with 105. San Juan County recorded 97, Santa Fe County 96 and Lea County 86. Eddy County and Sandoval County each recorded 67 deaths. Cibola County recorded 63 and Socorro County 56. Chaves County and Rio Arriba County each recorded 48; Luna County and Valencia County each recorded 47. Torrance County recorded 42.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Death counts and population rates give different comparisons. Among the listed counties, Socorro County had the highest average annual deaths per 100,000 residents at 69.2, while Sandoval County had the lowest at 8.7. Bernalillo County's rate was 14.7. These rate rankings apply only to the listed counties.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Up to 15 counties with the most deaths in the period, largest first. Rates for counties with few deaths change sharply with each death.

How New Mexico compares with the national rate

New Mexico's car accident death rate was 17.2, compared with the national rate of 10.5. Both figures measure average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The state's rate was higher than the national rate. The corresponding death counts were 1,820 in New Mexico and 176,219 across the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The calculation divides deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for those years, then multiplies by 100,000. It does not adjust for miles driven or visitors. New Mexico's July 1, 2024 population estimate of 2,126,774 is shown separately; it is not the denominator used for this rate. Deaths remain assigned to the crash location.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

About these figures

FARS is NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant dying within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. State and county counts follow crash location, not residency.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 records are Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File and may change with the Final File. Rates use summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, to express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents, without adjustments for miles driven or visitors. The July 1, 2024 estimate is separate from that denominator. If searching for a car accident lawyer, keep the crash-location grouping in mind when reading these counts.^[8][6][7]

See also

• FARS Annual Report File and Final File
• Car accident statistics for Bernalillo County, New Mexico (2020-2024)