New Mexico Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

New Mexico Motorcycle Injury Prevention Action

New Mexico already has many important impaired driving laws. They are saving money and lives. The estimates that follow describe the expected costs and savings, given New Mexico’s prices and impaired driving rates. The estimates assume New Mexico’s laws achieve average U.S. effectiveness levels.

Motorcycle Helmet Use Law:
Statewide, 7% of alcohol-related crash fatalities are motorcyclists; 91% of these motorcyclists were unhelmeted. A motorcycle helmet law that covers all riders in New Mexico could save lives and prevent devastating and debilitating head injuries. Wearing a motorcycle helmet reduces a rider’s risk of death by 29% and nonfatal injury risk by 15%. On average, helmets cost about $220 in New Mexico and prevent nearly $3,800 in injury costs.

Impact on Auto Insurance Rates

Alcohol-related crashes accounted for an estimated 16% of New Mexico auto insurance payments. Reducing alcohol-related crashes by 10% would save $19 million in claims payments and loss adjustment expenses.

For one of every 240 miles driven in New Mexico in 1999, a person with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) >.08 sat behind the wheel. Police in New Mexico reported 3,164 crashes involving a driver or pedestrian with a BAC of .01 or more. Formulas developed by NHTSA were used to estimate the number of alcohol-related crashes where alcohol involvement was not reported by the police. An estimated total of 18,710 crashes in New Mexico involved alcohol which killed 206 and injured an estimated 6,700 people.

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