Car accident statistics for Bernalillo County, New Mexico (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Bernalillo County by year

Annual car accident deaths rose from 91 in 2020 to 120 in 2021, then fell to 96 in 2022 and 94 in 2023. The count rose to 95 in 2024. The highest count was 120 in 2021, while the lowest was 91 in 2020. The 2024 count was 4 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths were 109 in 2020, 142 in 2021, 109 in 2022, 115 in 2023 and 117 in 2024. The corresponding shares attributed to car accidents were 83.5%, 84.5%, 88.1%, 81.7% and 81.2%. Although 2021 had the highest car accident death count, the highest share of all traffic deaths was 88.1% in 2022.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Bernalillo County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 257 deaths, or 51.8% of car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 64 deaths, or 12.9%, and was the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 175 deaths, or 35.3%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

These categories describe the people killed in the selected passenger vehicle crashes, rather than separate sets of crashes. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, the grouping to keep in mind is crash location, rather than the person's home county.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 129 deaths, or 26.0%; Head-on for 39, or 7.9%; Rear-end for 48, or 9.7%; and Sideswipe for 8, or 1.6%. Unknown accounted for 5 deaths, or 1.0%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 267 car accident deaths, or 53.8%. This describes the first harmful event: examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. It does not mean another vehicle had to be physically moving to qualify for a collision category. A motor vehicle stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 171 car accident deaths, or 34.5%, during 2020 through 2024. Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 325 deaths, or 65.5%. Nighttime had the larger count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land use classification was Urban for 441 deaths, or 88.9%, and Rural for 54 deaths, or 10.9%. Unknown accounted for 1 death, or 0.2%. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 36 car accident deaths, or 7.3%. That figure counts deaths in the selected crashes involving a large truck, rather than the number of trucks or crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with New Mexico and the United States

Bernalillo County's car accident death rate was 14.7 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. New Mexico's rate was 17.2, and the national rate was 10.5. The county rate was lower than the state rate and higher than the national rate. The corresponding death counts were 496 for Bernalillo County, 1,820 for New Mexico and 176,219 for the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Each rate uses deaths divided by the sum of annual Census population estimates, multiplied by 100,000. It does not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Bernalillo County's separately reported 2024 population estimate of 670,181 is not the denominator used for its rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Bernalillo County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accidents. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related, 32.8%; Roadway departure, 24.5%; At an intersection, 37.0%; Pedestrian involved, 37.0%; Motorcycle involved, 16.4%; Hit-and-run, 18.6%; Driver distraction reported, 30.2%; and In a work zone, 0.8%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A fatal crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These percentages describe deaths associated with recorded crash characteristics. They are not percentages of fatal crashes and are not findings of fault or cause.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving a motor vehicle on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. It excludes nonfatal crashes and injuries. County counts follow crash location, not where those killed lived.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 records are FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced by the Final File. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000. They express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustments for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• New Mexico car accident statistics (2020-2024)