Pedestrian Deaths Drop Again—New Mexico Sheds Worst-In-Nation Ranking

New Mexico recorded its second straight year of declining pedestrian deaths and, for the first time in eight years, shed its ranking as the worst state for pedestrian fatality rates, the Albuquerque Journal reports. Governors Highway Safety Association data show the state fell to ninth nationwide, with 1.27 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people from January to June 2025, down from 2.49 in the same period of 2024.

Pedestrian deaths statewide fell to 89 in 2025 from 102 the year before, the lowest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Albuquerque area, deaths dropped from 50 in 2024 to 43 in 2025, with 30 inside city limits and 13 along highways and in unincorporated Bernalillo County. A large share has historically been concentrated along East Central Avenue, where 45 pedestrians have died since 2018.

City officials credit a $5 million package for road redesign, improved lighting and median fencing, part of a broader "safe system approach." Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller welcomed the decline but said it is "much, much too early to tell," the Albuquerque Journal reported. Shannon Glendenning, director of the state Department of Transportation’s Traffic Safety Division, credited a holistic strategy that combines safer road design, speed management, public education and post-crash care.

Early 2026 data suggest the problem persists: the state has already recorded 19 pedestrian deaths, including five within Albuquerque city limits. The city has launched a "Stop For Everyone" campaign aimed at changing driver behavior, especially distracted driving and speeding.

Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit the Albuquerque Journal’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.