Fatal Roads

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New Mexico · county

Luna County

Residents 25,878Deaths 2024 3Deaths 2015–2024 95Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

Luna County, New Mexico, recorded 3 deaths in 3 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 95 deaths in 80 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 25,878 residents, that is 38.2 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, about 2.0 times the New Mexico rate of 19.4 and above the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (91) and 2015–2024 (95).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is speeding: 35.0% against 35.9% for New Mexico.

34% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Friday was the most common day (24%).

3deaths in 20243 fatal crashes
58deaths, 2020–202495 over ten years
38.2per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 11.6
+97%vs New Mexico ratestate 19.4 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

01325197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 10 deaths1976: 6 deaths1977: 17 deaths1978: 7 deaths1979: 16 deaths1980: 15 deaths1981: 10 deaths1982: 11 deaths1983: 5 deaths1984: 16 deaths1985: 12 deaths1986: 13 deaths1987: 11 deaths1988: 6 deaths1989: 18 deaths1990: 14 deaths1991: 12 deaths1992: 14 deaths1993: 6 deaths1994: 13 deaths1995: 13 deaths1996: 10 deaths1997: 20 deaths1998: 11 deaths1999: 18 deaths2000: 9 deaths2001: 13 deaths2002: 11 deaths2003: 15 deaths2004: 8 deaths2005: 25 deaths2006: 12 deaths2007: 12 deaths2008: 12 deaths2009: 8 deaths2010: 7 deaths2011: 3 deaths2012: 5 deaths2013: 6 deaths2014: 1–2 deaths2015: 6 deaths2016: 12 deaths2017: 1–2 deaths2018: 6 deaths2019: 11 deaths2020: 8 deaths2021: 22 deaths2022: 15 deaths2023: 10 deaths2024: 3 deaths
People killed in crashes in Luna County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 3 deaths.

Ten-year total up 4% (91 in 2005–2014, 95 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with New Mexico and the nation

MeasureLunaNew MexicoUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–202438.219.411.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 202411.619.211.5
Deaths, 2015–2024954,096389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–2024803,687358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.21.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+4%+6%+7%
Crashes on rural roads83%55%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 25,878 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking21.3%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver35%
Pedestriansshare of people killed11.6%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed6.3%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used50%
In darknesscrashes after dark48.8%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads82.5%

tick marks the New Mexico share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Luna County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 80 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Friday24%
Saturday21%
Thursday19%
Sunday14%
Tuesday11%
Monday9%
Wednesday3%

Light condition

Daylight45%
Dark, not lighted43%
Dark, lighted6%
Dawn4%
Dusk3%
Dark, lighting unknown0%

Road type

Interstate41%
Minor arterial31%
Local13%
Major collector9%
Other principal arterial6%
Other freeways and expressways0%
Minor collector0%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the New Mexico share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear93%
Cloudy3%
Rain3%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow3%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Fog, smog or smoke0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Luna

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 10Interstate339511812%21%
2US Route 180US highway5222727%36%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
202433011.6NM 2024
20239101–238.6NM 2023
202211151–258.0NM 2022
20211822585.0NM 2021
2020681–230.9NM 2020
201910111–242.5NM 2019
201856023.2NM 2018
20171–21–21–2—NM 2017
201611121–246.4NM 2016
2015561–223.2NM 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Luna County, New Mexico?

3 people died in 3 fatal crashes in 2024; 58 over 2020–2024 and 95 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Luna compare with New Mexico?

38.2 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 19.4 for New Mexico and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Luna involved alcohol?

21.3% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 26.4% in New Mexico. The factor furthest above the state share was speeding at 35.0%.

Which roads in Luna see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 10 (33 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and US Route 180 (5 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Luna?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (34% of crashes) and on Fridays (24%); 48.8% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.