2009 New Mexico Traffic Crash Information

NHTSA · 2011 · ROSA P / New Mexico. Traffic Safety Bureau

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Summary

This report, produced by the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and the University of New Mexico’s Division of Government Research, presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of traffic crashes in New Mexico for the calendar year 2009. The document serves as an annual reference source, compiling data from Uniform Crash Reports to evaluate safety trends, identify high-risk demographics and locations, and assess the impact of contributing factors such as alcohol and seatbelt usage. The data covers crashes on public roadways resulting in death, injury, or property damage exceeding $500, excluding unreported incidents or those on private property. The methodology relies on aggregated crash data processed by the Transportation Statistics Bureau. In 2009, there were 46,156 total crashes, comprising 319 fatal crashes, 13,120 injury crashes, and 32,717 property-damage-only crashes. These incidents resulted in 361 fatalities and 19,446 injuries. The report analyzes these figures across multiple dimensions, including temporal patterns (day of week, hour, holiday periods), geographic distribution (urban vs. rural, county, city, and specific highway segments), vehicle types, and driver demographics. It also examines contributing factors such as weather, lighting conditions, and driver behavior. Key findings indicate that while the overall crash rate in New Mexico decreased by 12 percent from 2000 to 2009, the state’s crash rate remained 22 percent higher than the national average in 2009. Fatalities decreased annually since 2004, with a death rate of 18.0 per 100,000 population, significantly exceeding the U.S. rate of 11.0. Alcohol involvement was a critical factor, present in 41 percent of fatal crashes. Young drivers aged 15–19 exhibited the highest crash involvement rate at 127.81 per 1,000 drivers, while those aged 20–24 accounted for 13 percent of all traffic deaths. Geographically, urban areas accounted for 82 percent of total crashes, but rural areas had higher crash rates per vehicle mile. Bernalillo County recorded the highest number of fatalities, while Española, Taos, and Gallup had the highest crash rates among cities. Overturns constituted only 5 percent of all crashes but 38 percent of fatal crashes. The significance of this report lies in its role as a foundational dataset for traffic safety policy and resource allocation in New Mexico. By highlighting disparities between state and national safety metrics and identifying high-risk groups—particularly young drivers and alcohol-involved incidents—the report supports targeted interventions. It underscores the effectiveness of seatbelt laws, noting a 99 percent self-reported usage among all occupants, though lower rates among teenagers (93 percent) and young adults (92 percent). The detailed breakdown of crash locations and times provides law enforcement and safety agencies with specific data to prioritize enforcement efforts, such as focusing on Friday evenings in urban areas or specific rural highway segments with elevated crash rates.

Key finding

Alcohol was involved in 41 percent of all fatal crashes in New Mexico in 2009, and overturns accounted for 38 percent of all fatal crashes despite representing only 5 percent of total crashes.

Methodology

dataset

Sample size: 46156

Provenance

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Topics

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• incidence prevalence
• demographic disparities
• fatality injury trends
• comparative international

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes