How to Be Safe on New Mexico Highways
New Mexico is known for having red roads due to the New Mexico Department of Transportation deicing them during the winter. Even so, there are several road hazards that can appear and cause car accidents throughout the year.
NMDOT spokesman Jeff Barela stated that speeding, aggressive driving, and distracted driving caused the most fatal car accidents in New Mexico in 2021. Such behaviors contribute to the inability to avoid road hazards or at least minimize damage from them.
You must understand and follow vehicle safety laws to stay safe on New Mexico highways. There are other ways to increase safety on New Mexico roads, too. Talking to a car accident lawyer Albuquerque will explain the precautions you can take, as well as what to do if you experience a car crash.
Be Aware of Road Hazards
Part of avoiding car accidents is always keeping your eyes out for road hazards and knowing what to do when you encounter them:
- Black ice
- Tire blowout
- Inclement Weather
- Fog
- Baby distractions
- Glare
- Bicyclists and motorcyclists
- Pedestrians
- Children playing nearby or walking home
- Animals
- Construction zones
- Large trucks
In New Mexico, the top road hazards are large trucks, black ice, and animals. Most road hazards can be avoided by slowing down and maneuvering around them, but others require you to take further precautions. These include maintaining tires, keeping windows and mirrors clean, or avoiding the area altogether until the hazard passes.
Be a Defensive Driver
It is not enough to be a good driver and follow traffic laws. Although defensive driving courses are optional, they help to teach drivers that it does not matter how careful they are when driving; you still need to watch out for other drivers on the road.
Some people take defensive driving courses to fight a traffic ticket for speeding or to fulfill a court order when their license is suspended. Defensive driving teaches skills such as scanning the road ahead, yielding when in doubt, leaving enough room in front of you and beside you, and eliminating distractions.
Listen to the News
Paying attention to traffic news and weather updates will give you a good idea of what road conditions will be like in your area of New Mexico or wherever you plan to drive to, including congestion and car crashes. Major roads and highways tend to have the most traffic, so you’ll want to plan ahead and not rush to any appointments if you are using them. Alternatively, you can plan routes that use back roads instead.
Maintain Your Car Regularly
One of your most trustworthy professionals should be your mechanic. Even if you think you can avoid maintaining something for your car until the last possible minute, you risk the vehicle breaking down or another issue that can cause a car accident. Alternatively, you may cause a road hazard, which endangers others. Make sure to keep records of all maintenance and repair work as well as your mechanic’s contact information.
Know the Dangerous Roads
The deadliest road in New Mexico is Central Avenue, specifically reaching from San Mateo Boulevard SE to Dorado Place SE in Albuquerque. The “highway of death” is US-285, a small rural highway that fills with oil field workers and trucks when gas prices are high. It is used for the transport of supplies and equipment to the Permian Basin oil patch.
With that being said, there are a few main causes of 18-wheeler crashes on the Death Highway:
- Speeding
- Fatigue
- Improper maintenance of 18-wheelers
- Driving while distracted (e.g. cell phone use, eating, using a radio, interacting with a GPS)
New Mexico is considered the worst state for distracted driving in the United States, according to MoneyGeek’s distracted driving study. The two major risk factors associated with commercial motor vehicle accidents are driver fatigue (drowsy driving) and distraction. They are two of the top four causes of Albuquerque car accidents. Because of the size and weight of commercial motor vehicle accidents, a car collision with one has a high risk of serious injuries, such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
There are two other dangerous highways in New Mexico. US-550 is known as the “killing zone,” rivaled only by I-40 from 2013-2015, which had the most fatalities. NM-567 is a beautiful roadway filled with potholes and gravel, and at night becomes even more dangerous with its sharp curves and the presence of animals.
New Mexico Car Accident Statistics
Speeding, drunk driving, or driving while distracted are the leading causes of New Mexico car accidents. Here are some facts about car crashes from 2017 to 2019:
- 35% of accidents involved speeding
- 28% of accidents involving drunk drivers
- 36% of accidents involving distracted drivers
- 6% of fatal accidents occurred in October, more so than in any other month
- The second two months with the highest numbers of car crashes were December (9.2%) and July (8.9%)
- The county with the most fatal auto accidents was Bernalillo
- I-40 had the highest number of car collisions in one site
Most car wrecks are very much avoidable. If you have suffered injuries because of another driver’s negligence or a road hazard and have not been able to receive a fair settlement, a car accident attorney can fight for your right to obtain the compensation you deserve.
New Mexico Car Accident Laws
When it comes to car accidents, New Mexico is a tort or at-fault state, meaning that the driver who caused the motor vehicle accident is responsible for paying all damages. However, it operates based on a standard of pure comparative negligence. It means that a driver who is over 50% at fault can file a car accident claim, even if they are only seeking 1% in damages from the other driver.
Hit-and-Run Drivers in Albuquerque New Mexico
Hit-and-run drivers are automatically liable when they flee the car accident scene. This is part of why car crash victims in hit-and-run cases, witnesses, or their representatives need to file a police report to help find the at-fault drivers. If they are found, their insurance adjusters will cover damages to your vehicle and any car accident injuries. But to make sure you receive the proper damages you are owed, you need to file an injury claim.
The best way to handle this is through professionals in personal injury law since the vehicle accident injury resulted in a personal injury claim. Car accident attorneys can counter the rejection of wrongful death claims and other car accident damages by the at-fault insurance company in your car accident case. If you have a personal injury lawyer dealing with your car accident claim, you might be able to avoid a personal injury lawsuit.
When you are ready to consult auto accident attorneys for your vehicle collision, it’s best to have one with a history of experience in auto accident cases. Should your lawyer offer a free consultation and guaranteed results, you don’t have to pay until you receive your car accident settlement.
Filing New Mexico Car Accident Claims
The problem with car accident victims or their familiar representatives filing car accident claims on their behalf is twofold: One, not having intricate knowledge of the law, and two, not being sure if they are receiving fair compensation for injuries suffered. Damages for personal injuries suffered from a car wreck include:
- Medical bills
- Ongoing medical treatment for serious injury
- Pain and suffering damages, especially for emotional distress, continued physical pain, or wrongful death
Albuquerque car accident lawyers can make compelling arguments through the state and city legal system to obtain a fair settlement. But since Albuquerque car accident attorneys are different from each other, especially with regard to experience and payment, it is in the best interest of Albuquerque car accident victims and their loved ones to consult with a few. An Albuquerque car accident lawyer from our law firm is happy to offer you a free consultation.
Reckless Drivers, Aggressive Drivers, or Distracted Drivers?
Driving defensively is not aggressive, but assertive. Reckless driving means driving without regars to property or people. Aggressive driving is different from reckless driving because it requires intentional threatening behavior towards a specific individual, is often more noticeable than reckless driving, and criminal penalties are harsher for an aggressive driver than a reckless driver. If a driver is in emotional distress,,they can appear to be a reckless driver, but they are actually a distracted driver.
Proving either driving behavior to insurance adjusters can be tricky, however. An Albuquerque car accident attorney is familiar with the local community and car accident cases in the area. They can help to determine what happened at the accident scene and who the at fault party is.
Contact an Albuquerque Car Accident Lawyer
No two personal injury cases are alike. When it comes to car crash cases, legal representation offers you the possibility of a fair settlement.
The Will Ferguson Law Firm gathers all of the information for your case and works through the legal system to offer you maximum compensation. You can hear for yourself what we can do for your claim. Contact us today at (505) 594-3712.