I-40 in New Mexico: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 361 fatal crashes on I-40 in New Mexico killed 427 people, the most of any numbered road in New Mexico. In 2024 there were 30 fatal crashes and 34 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 8 counties of New Mexico. All fatal crashes in New Mexico. I-40 in every state.
Deaths on I-40 in New Mexico by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 30 | 34 |
| 2023 | 56 | 60 |
| 2022 | 42 | 48 |
| 2021 | 48 | 63 |
| 2020 | 36 | 40 |
| 2019 | 38 | 48 |
| 2018 | 20 | 28 |
| 2017 | 28 | 33 |
| 2016 | 36 | 40 |
| 2015 | 27 | 33 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-40 in New Mexico: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Bernalillo County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 103, with 112 deaths. Bernalillo, McKinley and Cibola counties together held 70% of fatal crashes on I-40 in New Mexico from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bernalillo County | 6 | 103 | 112 |
| 2 | McKinley County | 6 | 83 | 101 |
| 3 | Cibola County | 5 | 67 | 83 |
| 4 | Torrance County | 7 | 41 | 46 |
| 5 | Guadalupe County | 5 | 34 | 45 |
| 6 | Quay County | 1 | 24 | 31 |
| 7 | Santa Fe County | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-40 in New Mexico
The heaviest slot is Sunday, 4 to 8 pm, with 15 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 7 am to 8 am; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 3.9 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 11 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.1 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 11 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.2 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 3.6 percent, 13 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 9 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 10 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan7.5%
- Feb7.8%
- Mar7.8%
- Apr5.8%
- May7.5%
- Jun11.4%
- Jul8.0%
- Aug10.2%
- Sep7.5%
- Oct8.3%
- Nov7.2%
- Dec11.1%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-40 in New Mexico
9.7 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 373 miles of I-40 in New Mexico, against 7.5 for all interstates in New Mexico. That ranks 1 of 3 interstates in New Mexico and 71 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-40 in New Mexico first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 44%; a rollover in 19%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 17%, a pedestrian in 16%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 160 | 44% |
| Rollover | 68 | 19% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 60 | 17% |
| Pedestrian | 59 | 16% |
| Other | 10 | 2.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 4 | 1.1% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-40 in New Mexico compare with the state
The largest difference from New Mexico: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-40 in New Mexico were at or near an intersection, against 22% across New Mexico. Also above the New Mexico share: rural roads and distracted drivers. Below it: drinking drivers, speeding, unbelted occupants, hit-and-runs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of New Mexico. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 361 crashes.
| I-40 | New Mexico | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 73% | 55% | above the New Mexico share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 22% | below the New Mexico share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 34% | 33% | about the same as the New Mexico share |
| A drinking driver | 17% | 26% | below the New Mexico share |
| Speeding | 29% | 36% | below the New Mexico share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 52% | 39% | above the New Mexico share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 44% | 54% | below the New Mexico share |
| Hit-and-run | 5.5% | 8.7% | below the New Mexico share |
| A motorcycle involved | 5.3% | 14% | below the New Mexico share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 15% | 21% | below the New Mexico share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-40 in New Mexico
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-40 in New Mexico?
- 361 fatal crashes killed 427 people on I-40 in New Mexico from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 30 fatal crashes and 34 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-40 in New Mexico do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Bernalillo County had the most fatal crashes on I-40 from 2015 to 2024: 103, with 112 deaths. McKinley County was second with 83.
- When do fatal crashes on I-40 in New Mexico happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, 4 to 8 pm, with 15 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-40 in New Mexico per mile?
- 9.7 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 373 miles of road, against 7.5 for all interstates in New Mexico. That ranks 1 of 3 interstates in New Mexico and 71 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in New Mexico with a page
All fatal crashes in New Mexico, with every road ranked.
Where the I-40 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-40 in New Mexico (filed under 5 spellings, such as "I-40", "I-40 EB", "I-40 MP 20", "I-40 WB OFFRAMP"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.