As part of New Mexico's continuing efforts to reduce crashes and save lives, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) collaborated with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and many local agencies to establish 12 Safety Corridors around the state. The Safety Corridors are designated roadway sections in which fines for speeding are doubled and enforcement in increased. Designated roadway sections are selected based on high numbers of fatal and injury crashes. Along with signage designating the area as a Safety Corridor and posted speed limits, increased enforcement has been an essential component of the campaign.

New Mexico has six NMDOT districts and has placed two Safety Corridors in each of these districts (see attached map). Safety Corridors remain in place for three years or until the Transportation Programs Division Director determines that designation as a Safety Corridor is no longer necessary, based on crash fatality and injury data. At such a time, another high-risk roadway section in the same district becomes a Safety Corridor.

Safety Corridors are authorized by NM Statute 66-7-301, Subsection A (allows NMDOT to designate Safety Corridors) and Section 66-8-116, subsection D (doubles fines for speeding in the Safety Corridor).

Result:

The goal of NM's Safety Corridor Program is to reduce the number of crashes in the combined safety corridor areas by 20 percent by the end of FY07 (from FY05 crash total of 1,166).

One corridor has been in place for three years (US 82), one has been in place for two years (US 70), and three others have been in place about 1½ years. The other seven corridors have been in place one year or less. Using FY05 data (July – June), the US 82 corridor has experienced a 44% decrease in crashes over a three-year period, and the US 70 corridor has experienced a 51% decrease in crashes over a two-year period.

Contact:

Michael Quintana
Program Manager, Traffic Safety Bureau, NMDOT
505.827.0491