Chances Of Dying In A Car Accident

Driving a car is not without its risks. The average American today in a typical city requires transportation to visit friends and family, go to doctor appointments, get groceries and commute to and from work. In 2020, the chances of dying in a car accident in the United State were 1 in 101. You’re more likely to die in a car accident than get hit by a car while walking across the street, drown, or get attacked by a dog. Of course, you are still more likely to die of complications of a heart attack or cancer than a car accident, but the risks of driving a car are often overlooked.

The average American is involved in 3 to 4 car accidents in their lifetime although most accidents are not deadly. Although there are hundreds of thousands of accidents in New Mexico per year and many close calls, less than 1% of accidents in 2019 resulted in a death. A good majority of car accidents which result in death are due to alcohol use and intoxication.

There are a few ways you can keep you and your passenger’s safe while driving in New Mexico. First, always pay attention to the road in front of you and avoid distractions such as cell phones while behind the wheel. Always obey all signs, including yield signs, stop signs, warning signs, construction signs, etc. Accidents do happen because drivers fail to acknowledge road signs meant to keep traffic flowing safely. Following too closely, driving out of your lane, over the center divider, or speeding also commonly contribute to accidents.
While the amount of time you spend on the road plays a factor in whether you will be involved in multiple accidents in your lifetime or not, high traffic areas and enforcement around drunk driving in your particular can and do increase the potential for dangerous car accidents.

With a population of just over two million people, on average 132 crashes take place in the whole State of New Mexico per day. While that number may seem low, there are many accidents that go unreported including accidents involving only one vehicle.
Imagine driving at any point during a 24 hour period where accidents in New Mexico happen on average every 11 minutes. Drivers often take too many chances and are careless when paying attention to those around them after a long day at work. During high traffic times such as rush hour, fender benders slow down traffic even more making commute times that much longer.

In the last 5 years, 2,295 people per 100,000 population were involved in an accident. Hit-and-run accidents have remained steady in the State with 17.3% of crashes ending in a driver leaving the scene of an accident. In 2019, 369 people died in car accidents in New Mexico, while just over 14,000 were injured. The total number of crashes in 2019 was at its highest in 5 years at just over 48,000. That same year, the average New Mexican had an 82.5% chance of leaving the scene of a car accident uninjured.

If you or your family have been serious injured in a car accident you can count on us to protect your interests as you recover and seek restitution for your injuries.