Pedestrian Deaths in Albuquerque Decline for Second Straight Year

New Mexico improves in nationwide rankings amid decrease of deaths in Duke City

Apr. 19, 2026 at 9:06pm

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A repeating grid of stylized pedestrian crossing signs in vibrant neon colors, conceptually illustrating the city's efforts to prioritize walkability and protect vulnerable road users.A bold, eye-catching visual representation of Albuquerque's renewed focus on pedestrian safety through infrastructure upgrades and public awareness campaigns.Albuquerque Today

Pedestrian deaths in Albuquerque and across New Mexico have declined for the second consecutive year, with the state improving its ranking from the worst in the nation to ninth. The city saw 43 fatal pedestrian crashes in 2025, down from 50 in 2024 and a record high of 56 in 2023. Albuquerque has made a $5 million investment in safety upgrades, including road diets, median fencing, and pedestrian lighting, along a dangerous 3-mile stretch of Central Avenue that has seen 40 deaths since 2018.

Why it matters

Pedestrian safety has been a major issue in Albuquerque and New Mexico, which has consistently ranked among the worst states for pedestrian fatalities. The recent declines, while still leaving room for improvement, suggest that the city's infrastructure upgrades and safety campaigns may be starting to have an impact.

The details

The decrease in pedestrian deaths comes after Albuquerque made its largest financial commitment to pedestrian safety projects, spending $5 million on upgrades along the 3-mile stretch of Central Avenue between San Mateo and Eubank. These projects included a road diet, safety lighting, and median fencing to discourage jaywalking. The city has also added dozens of speed cameras and several HAWK push-button crossings in the most dangerous corridors.

  • In 2025, Albuquerque saw 43 fatal pedestrian crashes, down from 50 in 2024 and a record high of 56 in 2023.
  • So far in 2026, 19 people have been killed by drivers across New Mexico, six of them in Bernalillo County, with five of those in Albuquerque city limits. By this time in 2025, there had been 11 pedestrian deaths in the city.

The players

Tim Keller

The mayor of Albuquerque who acknowledged the city is 'one of the worst in the country' when it comes to pedestrian deaths, but noted the recent back-to-back decline in fatalities.

Nick Ferenchak

A professor in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of New Mexico who said it remains to be seen whether the drop in pedestrian deaths is part of a nationwide trend or a result of safety measures.

Shannon Glendenning

The director of the Traffic Safety Division at the New Mexico Department of Transportation, who credited the results to the 'safe system approach' adopted by the DOT.

Jennifer Turner

The director of the Department of Municipal Development in Albuquerque, who said the city's new 'Stop For Everyone' campaign will run ads on TV, at the Sunport, and on billboards to change driver behavior.

Melinda Montoya

The mother of Kayla VanLandingham, a city employee who was struck and killed while riding her bike, which spurred near-immediate change in Albuquerque.

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What they’re saying

“Now we've been working on some major changes to try and turn that around. But it's much, much too early to tell.”

— Tim Keller, Mayor of Albuquerque

“I think there's been a lot of work in this area. Hopefully these numbers are changing because of that, and hopefully this is a trend.”

— Nick Ferenchak, Professor, University of New Mexico Civil Engineering Department

“The major principle around it is that death and serious injuries are not acceptable. Zero is the only acceptable number.”

— Shannon Glendenning, Director, Traffic Safety Division, New Mexico Department of Transportation

“Reckless driving is looking at your cellphone, that's what it is, or it's consistently going over 10 miles over the speed limit.”

— Tim Keller, Mayor of Albuquerque

“These were all, in general, people who weren't doing anything in their minds they thought was terribly wrong, right? They were just distracted driving type situations or there was ambiguity about the law.”

— Tim Keller, Mayor of Albuquerque

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Albuquerque's comprehensive approach to pedestrian safety, including infrastructure upgrades, education campaigns, and a focus on driver behavior, appears to be yielding results, though the city acknowledges there is still work to be done to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities.