A new report by Smart Growth America showed some rather interesting results regarding how deadly states are for pedestrians.
It found that Florida and New Mexico are the two deadliest states for pedestrians in the United States, with the Land of Enchantment being ranked number one, according to data compiled from 2016 to 2020.
Following New Mexico and Florida was South Carolina, Arizona, Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada as states most dangerous for pedestrians.
However, Albuquerque ranks as the second-highest metro area across the country, being beaten only by the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida, metro area.
Nationally, “[t]he number of people struck and killed while walking reached yet another new high in 2020. More than 6,500 people were struck and killed while walking in 2020, an average of nearly 18 per day, and a 4.5 percent increase over 2019.”
“This epidemic continues growing worse because our nation’s streets are dangerous by design, designed primarily to move cars quickly at the expense of keeping everyone safe. The result in 2020 was a significant increase in all traffic fatalities, even with less driving overall due to the pandemic,” wrote the organization.
“Dangerous by Design uses federal data that is complete only through the end of 2020, but early estimates from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) are that 7,485 people walking were struck and killed in 2021. This would be the highest number in 40 years and one of the biggest single-year jumps in decades—between 11 and 13 percent in one year.”
Legislation was proposed in New Mexico’s 2023 Legislative Session by state Rep. Art De La Cruz (D-Albuquerque), H.B. 328, to help alleviate the issue. However, the move never made it past the full House despite getting bipartisan approval in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee.
In Albuquerque, the issue is the homeless. They just step out and cross the street. Most of the time it isn’t at an intersection where they get hit. They just don’t care. There are also laws pedestrians and cyclists must follow, tho the city doesn’t enforce those. Cyclists are always running stop signs and red lights. They think the traffic laws do not apply to them.
I disagree, the drivers in Albuquerque are impatient and borderline homicidal at times. All in a rush and trying to be the first car ahead instead of just going with the flow of traffic.
Agreed!
Pedestrians have to follow laws as well for their own protection, but at the end, if a pedestrian is hit, it is always the driver’s fault. It is the driver who is driving a heavy machine that can easily kill someone, not the other way around. In some countries, if a pedestrian is hit, the driver goes to jail regardless of whose fault it is.
Although there are no doubt some very bad drivers in NM , a lot of it is due to recent “immigrants “ that have different or no laws in the countries they come from. I also agree with Scortisoara that drug addled inebriated street people wander back and forth ignoring pedestrian laws. Since the state can no longer use jaywalking citations as a source of revenue it is ignored by law enforcement. When street people aren’t even subject to felony shoplifting, assault or auto theft, who is even gonna bother with pedestrian laws. Lawlessness breeds negative stats, NM is proof.
I am blind, and I was considering moving to New Mexico for the better weather. Is there public transit or would I have to be one of the pedestrians?
No real public transportation. There are buses if you want to wait a very long time.
With all the jaywalking on Central before and after the ART project,, it’s no surprise of this number one rating. And yeah there are some bicyclists who think they’re Above the Law and that stop signs don’t apply to them but I was never one of those thankfully I had better sense about me the only thing I had to worry about was the occasional idiotic driver coming out of a parking lot and shooting across the bike lane to get onto the on-ramp that was on the other side of the bike lane. I also hated those useless roundabouts that they put in on Silver between Girard and Yale.
The focus on careless bike riders is a distraction from the original topic. I don’t think any pedestrians have been killed by a bike.
I think it is the toxic mix of careless pedestrians and impatient drivers. Speeding, running red lights, and cutting in and out of traffic at high speed.
I suggest everyone take a drive from San Pedro to Wyoming on Central day or night and you will see drunk drugged out homeless and stupid people crossing the street willy-nilly and at night dressed in black oblivious to stop signs street signs and traffic
In Las Cruces…I would estimate a good 80% of the CITIZEN drivers are totally oblivious to the ‘Yield to Pedestrian in Crosswalk’ signs and don’t even slow down a little when approaching an intersection. Even worse is when POLICE and other state/city owned vehicles don’t stop for pedestrians in crosswalks or even bother to use turn signals when maneuvering through busy traffic. I believe the officers should be the 1st ones to set the example. I don’t find it easy to disrespect or challenge law enforcement but feel many of them need to be much more mindful when it comes to traffic/driver etiquette.
A partial solution might be to drive vehicles on the sidewalks since most of the pedestrians are walking and jogging in the street.
There are just as many “dangerous walkers” as drivers. When I was growing up it was emphasized to us that roads were for cars and to beware when crossing. People were arrested for jaywalking. Yes, if a driver ignored a stop sign or red light they were also in big trouble. I think the self-centered behavior of many people in our sick, disrespectful and immoral society are the cause. Nobody cares about the other person anymore. They are too busy living their own worthless lives being entertained on whatever electronic device they prefer.