New Mexico sees most number of pedestrian deaths in decade

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Albuquerque officials are renewing their pledge to prevent pedestrian deaths as New Mexico sees the highest number of them in a decade. KRQE-TV reports a new director will oversee Albuquerque’s Vision Zero initiative Tuesday, working with a $4 million budget to design more secure roads and pedestrian crossings. Mayor Tim Keller announced the Vision Zero program in 2019 with an aim to eliminate pedestrian fatalities by 2040. But for the past two years, there have still been dozens of pedestrian deaths in Albuquerque each year. According to the New Mexico Department of Transportation, 99 pedestrians were killed on New Mexico roadways last year. That is a significant bump from 81 in 2020.