COUNTY FATALITY DATA
Rio Arriba County: higher-rate fatality band
Rio Arriba County (NM) is in the higher per-capita third: 37.6/100k (#227 of 2,328). Data period: 2016-2023.
- 94
- Total Fatalities (2016-2023)
- 15
- Latest Year Deaths
- High count
- 37.6
- Per 100k Residents
- Well above average
- Increasing
- Trend
Higher per-capita fatality band
Rio Arriba County ranks #227 of 2,328 by deaths per 100,000 residents (37.6/100k) - top-third rate among rated U.S. counties.
Rio Arriba County in the higher-rate third
According to NHTSA FARS, Rio Arriba County sits in the higher-rate third at 37.6 per 100k (#227 of 2,328), #9 of 24 in NM.
- #227 of 2,328
- higher-rate third
- #771 of 3,137
- larger-book third
- #9 of 24
- in NM by rate
- Increasing
- fatality trend
NHTSA county milepost
Milepost RIO-ARRIBA-3 · Rio Arriba 37.6/100k · #227 of 2,328
Rio Arriba County · 37.6/100k · increasing
- YOY 37.6/100k
- RATE #227 of 2,328
- RANK 94 book
- BOOK Increasing
- TREND 82 crash
- CAUSE +19.8% 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 Rio Arriba County compare?
2023 road deaths per 100,000 residents. Choose any comparison from the menu.
Rio Arriba County is 20% deadlier 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, Rio Arriba County ranks 9 for per-capita risk, above the state's own per-capita average of 31.4 per 100,000 -- nationally, this rate puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure. The gap between Rio Arriba County's rate and the state average is 6.2 per 100,000. Its closest per-capita peer statewide is Luna County, at 39.5 per 100,000 (a difference of 1.9). 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), San Miguel County (33.7), Eddy County (29.9), Grant County (25.5), Lea County (25.0), Otero County (18.9), Valencia County (17.7).
Rio Arriba County's rate vs. every rated U.S. county
Deaths per 100,000 residents -- counties with 10,000+ people, NHTSA FARS over Census population
38 Higher than most a lower per-capita rate than 10% 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 Rio Arriba County
Contextual links from this profile to rankings, tools, research, and peer geographies on PlainRoadSafety.
- Rio Arriba 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 RLetter index including NM counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How many traffic fatalities occurred in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico?
Rio Arriba County recorded 94 total traffic fatalities across 82 reported crashes over the data period (2016-2023). The most recent year saw 15 fatalities. The county averages approximately 10.4 fatalities per year.
What is the leading cause of road fatalities in Rio Arriba County?
Despite a comparatively active crash history (82 recorded crashes), individual cause-code breakdowns are not published for Rio Arriba County in the current FARS release. Statewide data for New Mexico may provide additional context.
Is the trend of road fatalities in Rio Arriba County increasing or decreasing?
The trend in Rio Arriba 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 Rio Arriba County?
Rio Arriba County has a fatality rate of 37.6 per 100,000 residents, which puts it among the most dangerous one in ten U.S. counties by that per-capita measure among the 3,137 U.S. counties in this dataset.
Where does Rio Arriba County rank for road fatality rate?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Rio Arriba County ranks #227 of 2,328 U.S. counties by road-fatality rate per 100,000 residents (highest first) and #9 of 24 rated counties in NM, the same sort used on the deadliest-states and county rate listings. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How does Rio Arriba County compare to the rest of New Mexico?
Rio Arriba County's per-capita rate of 37.6 per 100,000 residents is above 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 Rio Arriba 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.