New Mexico has the highest rate of pedestrian accident fatalities of any state in the country, according to a recent traffic safety study conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).
“New Mexico had the highest rate of pedestrian traffic fatalities compared to all other states in 2023,” according to a KRQE News story about the GHSA report. “That is the third year in a row that New Mexico has ranked at the top.”
New Mexico pedestrian accident statistics
The numbers are clear – pedestrian accidents are worse than ever in New Mexico. In 2023, a total of 99 pedestrians died as a result of being hit by a driver, according to the GHSA study. That number works out to 4.68 pedestrian deaths for every 100,000 people in New Mexico.
Compared to other states, New Mexico’s pedestrian fatality rate was the highest in 2023 in the country compared to all other states. No other state even comes close to New Mexico. The state with the second-highest pedestrian fatality rate for 2023 was Florida, with 3.54 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 residents.
In addition, 2023 was the third year in a row that New Mexico had the highest pedestrian death rate nationwide compared to all other states. The number of pedestrian fatalities per year in New Mexico has also doubled in the past decade, according to annual pedestrian death data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Common causes of pedestrian accidents
Perhaps the number one reason pedestrian accidents happen is that drivers can’t see them. An estimated 75 percent of pedestrian fatalities nationwide occurred at night in 2022, according to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) about how bad lighting at crosswalks often contributes to pedestrian accidents.
However, the lack of streetlights isn’t the only reason many pedestrian accidents occur. Aggressive, reckless drivers are often to blame for many pedestrian injuries and fatalities. Examples of how aggressive drivers cause pedestrian accidents include:
- Speeding and failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.
- Aggressive drivers who turn without looking at an intersection and hit a pedestrian.
- Texting drivers not paying attention who hit pedestrians.
- Drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Drowsy drivers who fall asleep and cause pedestrian accidents.
What can be done to prevent pedestrian accidents?
There are many different ways that New Mexico and other states can reduce the number of pedestrian accidents. Some of the solutions offered by the GHSA and other traffic safety organizations include:
- Improve lighting at crosswalks, including installing flashing lights at crosswalks.
- Make crosswalks more visible by painting them on a regular basis.
- Increase police enforcement at crosswalks, especially for drivers who speed or fail to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk.
- Lower the speed limit on roads where speeding is a contributing factor in many pedestrian accidents.
Who pays for a pedestrian accident?
First, it’s important to understand how car accident compensation generally works in New Mexico. The state has an at-fault car insurance system, which simply means that the at-fault party is responsible for paying for all accident-related expenses.
So, how does this work in cases involving pedestrian accidents? The insurance company for the driver who hit the pedestrian is often responsible for paying for the accident. That might sound simple. But getting the money you deserve as an injured pedestrian can often be harder than you think.
When to contact a pedestrian accident attorney
Expenses can add up fast after a serious pedestrian accident in New Mexico. And if you don’t have a lawyer fighting for the money you rightfully deserve, you could end up having to pay for your accident out of your own pocket.
That’s not right. That’s why Albuquerque pedestrian accident lawyer Andras Szantho takes such cases seriously. Our legal team at the Szantho Law Firm, P.C., knows exactly what to do because we’ve been doing this work for years.
Put the power of our New Mexico personal injury law firm behind your case. Contact us and schedule a free case evaluation with a pedestrian accident attorney you can count on in a crisis.
Our office is conveniently located on Prospect Avenue in Albuquerque, and we also have an office in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Best of all, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means no recovery, no fee.
“The Szantho Law Firm handled my case professionally and aggressively.” – J. Martinez