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Fatal car crashes in New Mexico, county by county

From 2020 through 2024, 2,196 people died in 1,996 crashes on New Mexico roads. That is 20.6 deaths a year for every 100,000 residents, above the US rate of 12.1, and the 4th highest rate of the 50 states and DC.

Bernalillo County had the most deaths (592). The road stretch with the most fatal crashes was I-40 (Wb Offramp) in Bernalillo County (72). In 2024, 409 people were killed, 3% more than in 2020.

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2024 · checked October 2, 2026

2,196

people killed in crashes, 2020-2024

20.6

deaths a year per 100,000 residents, 4th highest of 51 (US 12.1)

469

pedestrians killed, 21% of deaths (US 18%)

36%

of fatal crashes were speeding-related (US 28%)

Death rate by county

Deaths a year per 100,000 residents, 2020-2024. Rural counties often rank highest: fewer people, faster roads and longer waits for an ambulance.

Bernalillo County: 17.6 per 100,000 a year, 592 deathsChaves County: 17.6 per 100,000 a year, 56 deathsCibola County: 57 per 100,000 a year, 76 deathsColfax County: 34.1 per 100,000 a year, 21 deathsCurry County: 13.1 per 100,000 a year, 31 deathsDoña Ana County: 10.5 per 100,000 a year, 120 deathsEddy County: 26.4 per 100,000 a year, 81 deathsGrant County: 26.9 per 100,000 a year, 37 deathsGuadalupe County: 196.1 per 100,000 a year, 43 deathsHidalgo County: 65.6 per 100,000 a year, 13 deathsLea County: 26.1 per 100,000 a year, 98 deathsLincoln County: 25 per 100,000 a year, 25 deathsLuna County: 44.8 per 100,000 a year, 58 deathsMcKinley County: 39.5 per 100,000 a year, 136 deathsMora County: 112.3 per 100,000 a year, 23 deathsOtero County: 16.4 per 100,000 a year, 57 deathsQuay County: 73.8 per 100,000 a year, 31 deathsRio Arriba County: 29.5 per 100,000 a year, 59 deathsRoosevelt County: 25.7 per 100,000 a year, 24 deathsSandoval County: 10.1 per 100,000 a year, 80 deathsSan Juan County: 19.4 per 100,000 a year, 117 deathsSan Miguel County: 25.7 per 100,000 a year, 34 deathsSanta Fe County: 14.3 per 100,000 a year, 113 deathsSierra County: 38.6 per 100,000 a year, 22 deathsSocorro County: 80.2 per 100,000 a year, 64 deathsTaos County: 27.3 per 100,000 a year, 47 deathsTorrance County: 67.6 per 100,000 a year, 54 deathsValencia County: 14.1 per 100,000 a year, 57 deaths
under 1010-1515-2020-3030+ too few crashes

The most dangerous roads in New Mexico

Fatal crashes by road within each county, 2020-2024. A long interstate shows up once per county it crosses.

#RoadWhereFatal crashesDeaths
1 I-40 Wb Offramp Bernalillo County, NM 72 77
2 I-25 Bernalillo County, NM 49 54
3 I-40 McKinley County, NM 48 56
4 Central Ave Bernalillo County, NM 46 47
5 SR-45 Coors Blvd Bernalillo County, NM 44 46
6 I-40 Cibola County, NM 38 48
7 I-25 Socorro County, NM 35 40
8 US-64 San Juan County, NM 30 30
9 I-40 Torrance County, NM 26 28
10 I-25 Santa Fe County, NM 26 27
11 SR-18 N Lovington Hwy Lea County, NM 19 22
12 I-40 Guadalupe County, NM 18 23
13 US-285 Roswell Hwy Chaves County, NM 18 18
14 US-550 Sandoval County, NM 17 19
15 US-62 Greene St Eddy County, NM 16 18

Deaths by year

Every New Mexico county

28 counties with 10 or more fatal crashes in five years, by deaths. 5 more had fewer than 10 and are listed after the table.

CountyDeaths 2020-24Per 100K a yearPedestriansPopulation
Bernalillo County 592 17.6 216 671,747
McKinley County 136 39.5 34 68,945
Doña Ana County 120 10.5 28 229,366
San Juan County 117 19.4 35 120,817
Santa Fe County 113 14.3 29 157,765
Lea County 98 26.1 11 75,151
Eddy County 81 26.4 7 61,436
Sandoval County 80 10.1 10 157,757
Cibola County 76 57.0 5 26,686
Socorro County 64 80.2 7 15,967
Rio Arriba County 59 29.5 7 39,955
Luna County 58 44.8 8 25,878
Otero County 57 16.4 7 69,711
Valencia County 57 14.1 11 80,813
Chaves County 56 17.6 13 63,697
Torrance County 54 67.6 8 15,986
Taos County 47 27.3 4 34,482
Guadalupe County 43 196.1 1 4,385
Grant County 37 26.9 4 27,541
San Miguel County 34 25.7 5 26,428
Curry County 31 13.1 8 47,156
Quay County 31 73.8 1 8,403
Lincoln County 25 25.0 0 20,025
Roosevelt County 24 25.7 3 18,713
Mora County 23 112.3 0 4,096
Sierra County 22 38.6 2 11,389
Colfax County 21 34.1 2 12,307
Hidalgo County 13 65.6 2 3,966

Fewer than 10 fatal crashes, 2020-2024: Catron County (8 deaths), De Baca County (3 deaths), Harding County (2 deaths), Los Alamos County (7 deaths), Union County (7 deaths).

Cities

CityDeaths 2020-24Per 100K a yearPedestriansPopulation
Albuquerque 559 20.0 214 560,326

What was involved

FactorNew MexicoShareUS
Speeding was a factor
a driver coded by police as speeding, racing or too fast for conditions		 714 36% 28%
A driver had been drinking
police reported alcohol involvement for at least one driver		 493 25% 26%
A large truck was involved
a truck over 10,000 lbs		 367 18% 13%
Hit-and-run
a driver left the scene		 190 10% 7%
Pedestrians killed
share of all deaths		 469 21% 18%
Motorcyclists killed
share of all deaths		 259 12% 15%
Bicyclists killed
share of all deaths		 36 2% 3%
Teens (15-19) killed
share of all deaths		 151 7% 7%

After a crash in New Mexico

  1. Get the crash report

    City and county agencies sell their own reports; the Albuquerque Police Department contracts with Carfax for Police to distribute reports online at $7.50 per report, or in person at 400 Roma NW, and also lists CrashDocs.org (report number, last name of a party, and accident date required).

    How to get a New Mexico crash report

  2. Know your deadline

    New Mexico gives you three years to file a personal injury lawsuit (N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-8). If a city, county or state vehicle was involved: A person claiming damages from the state or a local public body under the Tort Claims Act must give written notice of the time, place and circumstances within 90 days after the occurrence (unless the entity had actual notice).

    Work out your date

  3. Who pays

    New Mexico is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the injuries and damage.

    New Mexico car accident laws

  4. If you were partly at fault

    You can recover even if you were mostly at fault; your award is reduced by your percentage of fault and you are not barred at any percentage (rule set by the state supreme court, not a statute).

    The rule and its statute

  5. The other driver’s minimum coverage

    The legal minimum liability coverage in New Mexico is $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 per crash and $10,000 for property (25/50/10).

    Every state’s minimums

Check your deadline and a rough claim range

A filing date and a rough value range for New Mexico. Both take under a minute.

Check my deadline Estimate my claim