A by the Governors Highway Safety Association says New Mexico is the state with the highest rate of pedestrian deaths in America.
There were 71 pedestrian fatalities in New Mexico in 2014, according to the state Department of Transportation. In Albuquerque, busy crossings in low-income areas like Central and San Mateo have been hotspots for pedestrian fatalities. But spokesman Matt Kennicott says the problem isn鈥檛 isolated to poorer neighborhoods.
鈥淭he pedestrian fatalities quite frankly aren鈥檛 clustered in any one part of the state,鈥� he said.
He says people have been hit by cars while walking on rural and city roads鈥攁nd the accidents have been so scattered, it鈥檚 hard to pinpoint the cause.
鈥淗onestly, this is an issue we need to continue looking at so we can wrap our heads around it a little bit more,鈥� Kennicott said. 鈥淏ut you need to pay attention when you鈥檙e driving or walking or riding your bicycle.鈥�
Kennicott says distracted driving is one thing DOT does know contributes to pedestrian deaths. The state is working on several education campaigns to cut down on that problem.
