Highways are often among the most dangerous roads in any region. After all, these direct, multi-lane routes often have very high levels of traffic, and they often have higher speed limits than surface streets. Drivers often exceed even the highest speed limits, creating the potential for severe crashes that may involve many other vehicles, including commercial trucks.
Therefore, freeways, highways and interstates are frequently the locations of the worst collisions that occur. That trend is as true in New Mexico as it is in other states. Most of the roads that see high rates of crashes and particularly severe collisions are highways. Statistically, the following New Mexico highways are the most dangerous.
Albuquerque roads are among the riskiest
When looking at an analysis of the 10 most dangerous roads in New Mexico, many of them are right in Albuquerque. The analysis reviewed the records of 1,060 deadly crashes between 2017 and 2019 and looked at 459 roads in five-mile increments to determine where crash risk was highest.
I-40 holds more than one place on the list of 10 deadliest roads. It is in both the second and fifth positions on the list. The stretches between Exit 140 and Lost Horizon Drive Northwest and Exit 154 and Exit 158 are locations that see a disproportionate number of fatal crashes. The length between Exits 154 and 158 was particularly dangerous. There were 10 deaths in nine crashes on this 4.1-mile stretch of highway in three years.
SR-45 between Redlands Road NW and Central Avenue Southwest is the third deadliest road in New Mexico with nine reported deaths during those three years. I-25 between Exit 232 and Exit 226A also makes the list of deadliest roads in the state. Finally, SR-45 between Kirsten Road SW and Huseman Place SW takes the 10th place on the list of deadliest roads. Central Avenue and Gibson Boulevard are both Albuquerque surface streets that made the list of deadliest roads in New Mexico.
Motorists who are aware that they must travel on one of the more dangerous highways in the state may be in a better position to minimize their crash risk by making more careful choices on the road.