COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Lea County: larger FARS fatality book
Lea County (NM) holds a larger FARS book (150, #454 of 3,137) with 18 latest-year deaths.
- 150
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 18
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 25.0
- Per 100k Residents
- Above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Larger fatality book
Lea County ranks #454 of 3,137 by total FARS fatalities (150 across 2016-2023) - top-third book size.
Lea County in the larger-book third
According to NHTSA FARS, Lea County carries a top-third fatality book (150 across 2016-2023, #454 of 3,137) at 25.0/100k.
- #579 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #454 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #13 of 24
- in NM by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
FARS county milepost
Milepost LEA-25 · Lea 25.0/100k · #579 of 2,328
Lea County · 25.0/100k · increasing
- BOOK 25.0/100k
- TREND #579 of 2,328
- CAUSE 150 book
- PHOTO Increasing
- VS-ST 126 crash
- CRASH -20.3% vs NM
Stamps derive from this county's NHTSA FARS row (per-100k or book, corpus rank, trend, nationwide peer NAME, vs-state gap), not a trip-risk forecast. PlainRoadSafety is informational only. See our disclaimer. Verify with NHTSA FARS → · Read with methodology → · Understanding road fatality data → · New Mexico state profile →
How does Lea County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Lea County is 20% safer than the comparison
2023 road deaths from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System over population from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2023). Rates shown for counties with 10,000+ residents and a 2023 FARS record.
Among the 15 rated counties in New Mexico, Lea County ranks 13 for per-capita risk, below the state's own per-capita average of 31.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Lea County's rate and the state average is 6.4 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Grant County, at 25.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 0.5). Its peer counties, highest to lowest per 100,000 residents: Torrance County (102.3), Socorro County (75.2), Cibola County (56.0), Lincoln County (49.9), Sierra County (43.5), McKinley County (42.2), Colfax County (40.8), Luna County (39.5), Rio Arriba County (37.6), San Miguel County (33.7), Eddy County (29.9), Grant County (25.5), Otero County (18.9), Valencia County (17.7).
Lea County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
25 Around the middle a lower per-capita rate than 25% of 2,328 rated counties
rated U.S. counties, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NHTSA FARS over U.S. Census Bureau population estimates · 2026-09-03
More road safety data related to Lea County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Lea County vs other counties by ratePer-100k fatality comparison
- New Mexico statewide fatality dataAll counties in this state
- Deadliest states for drivingContext for NM
- State fatality changesYear-over-year state trends
- Browse all U.S. countiesAlphabetical county index
- All state profiles51 state dashboards
- State vs U.S. safety comparisonRoute-level lookup tool
- National statistics downloadFARS CSV + findings
- How to read FARS fatality dataMethodology primer
- Per-mile vs per-capita road riskRate denominator explained
- Counties starting with LLetter index including NM counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Lea County, New Mexico?
Lea County recorded 150 total traffic fatalities across 126 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 18 fatalities. The county averages approximately 16.7 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Lea County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (126 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Lea County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for New Mexico may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Lea County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Lea County is increasing. This indicates that traffic fatalities have risen over the data period, warranting attention to road safety initiatives.
What is the fatality rate per capita in Lea County?
Lea County has a fatality rate of 25.0 per 100,000 residents, which leaves it more dangerous than most U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Lea County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Lea County ranks #579 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #13 of 24 rated counties in NM, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Lea County compare to the rest of New Mexico?
Lea County's per-capita rate of 25.0 per 100,000 residents is below the New Mexico county average of 31.4. Visit the New Mexico state page for the full county-by-county breakdown.
Where does the road fatality data for Lea County come from?
All road fatality data comes from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a census of fatal motor vehicle crashes on public roads in the United States. FARS data covers the period 2016-2023 and includes all crashes resulting in at least one fatality within 30 days.