DEMING – New Mexico has again been ranked as the worst state in the country for distracted driving, according to Zutobi’s 2026 Distracted Driving Report.
The report, which analyzes data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ranked New Mexico worst in the nation for the fifth consecutive year. Zutobi reported that New Mexico had 159 distracted driving deaths in 2024, with 10.09 distracted driving deaths for every 100,000 licensed drivers.
The report also found that 37.04% of fatal crashes in New Mexico involved distracted driving. That means more than one-third of fatal crashes in the state were connected to distracted driving.
Nationally, NHTSA continues to warn that distracted driving remains a major danger on American roads. The agency says its distracted driving efforts include public education and partnerships with states and local law enforcement to reduce risky driving behavior.
Distracted driving can include texting, using a phone, eating, adjusting a navigation system or anything else that takes a driver’s attention away from the road.
The full Zutobi report includes state-by-state rankings and comparisons of distracted driving trends across the country.
John Krehbiel – Bravo Mic Communications – john@bravomic.com
