Editorial: Tragedy demands a thorough review

Tuesday, March 21, 2000 | 10:20 a.m.

Las Vegans were sickened to learn that six teenagers were killed by a motorist who struck them as they were picking up trash Sunday along Interstate 15 near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The minors, including one who was only 14 years old, were part of a county-run program that allows juvenile offenders to perform community service instead of paying fines or serving jail time. Until Sunday there had never been a serious injury in the 11-year-old trash collection program.

The county says it will temporarily postpone this program to see if there are additional safety precautions that can be taken. The trash-collection program should be suspended until an exhaustive reassessment is done. The county should determine whether allowing teenagers to collect garbage along an interstate highway where cars legally are allowed to drive 75 mph -- and too many drive much faster than the posted speed limit -- is safe enough to continue at all.

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