How Did 89 People Die in Traffic Accidents in Mendoza in 2026?

Eighty-nine people have died at crash scenes on the roads of Mendoza, Argentina, so far in 2026, the province's traffic police confirmed on 19 October 2026.

The 89th victim

The latest death was a 21-year-old driver who died on Monday 19 October 2026 in central Mendoza. His death pushed the official year-to-date toll to 89.

The figure was given by Claudio Machuca, head of the Mendoza traffic police (Policía Vial), speaking to MDZ Radio 105.5 FM's programme "Digamos Todo".

A lower toll than 2025

At the same point in 2025, 105 people had died at crash scenes in the province — 16 more than this year's count.

The breakdown of the 89 deaths in 2026:

• 38 motorcyclists
• 21 car drivers
• 13 car passengers
• 11 pedestrians
• 2 motorcycle passengers
• 4 cyclists

Motorcyclists therefore account for more than four in ten of the deaths.

Speed and drink-driving in focus

Machuca pointed to prevention as the key message. "Hay que apuntar a la prevención de los siniestros viales, la velocidad es un factor determinante y también los controles de alcoholemia", he said.

He added that the number of traffic checks has tripled compared with previous years, and that drink-driving positivity has fallen sharply: "Hemos triplicado la cantidad de controles en relación a años anteriores y la positividad de alcoholemia en la actualidad es de un 3%, y en el 2023 estaba en un 12%. Es un dato positivo en cuanto a la baja".

Machuca was realistic about the limits of enforcement: "No se pueden implementar cantidades excesivas de controles en toda la provincia, pero estamos trabajando día a día para reducir la siniestralidad vial".

*Source: MDZ (Gianni Pierobon), 19 October 2026.*

Frequently asked questions

How many people have died in traffic accidents in Mendoza in 2026?

89 people had died at crash scenes in Mendoza province as of 19 October 2026, according to the head of the province's traffic police.

Which group has the most road deaths in Mendoza?

Motorcyclists, with 38 of the 89 deaths — more than 40% of the total.

Is the death toll lower than in 2025?

Yes. At the same point in 2025, 105 people had died, so the 2026 toll is 16 deaths lower.

What do the police say about drink-driving checks?

Claudio Machuca said checks have tripled and that drink-driving positivity has fallen from 12% in 2023 to 3% now.