Latest unofficial statistics from UNM’s Traffic Research Unit indicate the following happened on New Mexico roads last month:

The thirteen deaths of those trying to walk our roadways last month shatters more records, continuing a violent trend unmatched in recorded NM transportation history. Those 13 deaths out of 34 traffic fatalities overall is a staggering 38.2%, a figure far surpassing any in all of our study into this data. For some context on how disproportionate this figure is, let’s take Central Avenue around UNM, a very busy walking stretch.

This part of Central carries about 33,000 cars a day. To achieve proportionality of 38.2% walking deaths in this stretch, we would need to see 12,618 walkers per day. Central at UNM is one of the busiest walking areas in town, but there ain’t almost 13,000 folks walking there a day.

Now consider that we’re taking one of our very busiest walking stretches in the entire state, and follow that up with the mental image that we are considering the proposition that all of New Mexico looks like Central Avenue around UNM.

Yeah, that’s how crazy 38.2% of all traffic fatalities is.

News was made regarding the 82 NM walking deaths last year. January 2018 saw five walking deaths in that record year. We’re on pace now for 156 this year. 156. Sure, the thought of maintaining this ridiculously gruesome pace is inconceivable, yet we’re already into heretofore inconceivable numbers killed.

We’ve been there for some time now.