Growth cited for LV’s traffic fatalities

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2001 | 9:39 a.m.

A combination of newcomers and tourists unfamiliar with the roads along with the valley's exploding growth have made Las Vegas roadways the fifth-deadliest in the nation, law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Las Vegas' 15.4 fatalities per 100,000 residents in 2000 come in part because f the congestion and the problems of fitting the roads to an expanding population, experts said.

"We're always growing here, and the volume of cars on the road always has us playing catch-up," said Metro Detective Bill Redfairn, who added that nearly all of the accidents on county streets involve locals. "People move here, and the infrastructure can't keep up, so the roads just aren't big enough for the amount of cars we have."

Las Vegas ranks fifth in the nation as far as per capita traffic fatalities, according to a study by the nonprofit Washington-based transportation research group Road Information Program.

Critics noted that the study does not take into account the city's nearly 35 million visitors a year, which if added in would drive the county's statistics down.

"About half of our fatal accidents involve tourists and people from out of town," Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Alan Davidson said. "We get a lot of tourists out on the highways."

The 10 cities named in the study tend to be areas that are tourist destinations, areas of high growth, or both, such as Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., the city with the worst fatality rate.

"These areas seem to have high numbers of people who aren't real familiar with the roads they are driving on," said Bill Outlaw, spokesman for nonprofit group. "Tourists and new residents put greater numbers of cars on the road and that points to more accidents."

The number of traffic fatalities in Southern Nevada this year appear to be on par with past years. Metro has investigated 98 fatalities, compared to 100 in 2000, 105 in 1999 and 108 in 1998.

The NHP has investigated 97 fatal or serious injury accidents this year in Southern Nevada, which is about average for the agency, troopers said.

The study recommends that cities build wide roads, reduce roadside hazards, utilize signs and separate traffic with medians to create safer environments for drivers.

Clark County Public Works spokesman Bobby Shelton said that his department builds all roads to best meet the needs of the public. Traffic plans and studies, stop signals and signing are used by public works to make Las Vegas roads safer, Shelton said.

The county is also working to develop a paint for road surfaces that will not fade in extreme desert temperatures, making it difficult for drivers to see traffic lanes.

"We can't do much if someone is going to be a careless driver, we can only try to make the environment safer," Shelton said.

Careless driving is the No. 1 cause of accidents, Redfairn said.

"Whether its locals or tourists the causes are the same," Redfairn said. "People don't pay attention, they're in too big of a hurry and they don't wear seatbelts."

Since September 2000, Metro has been using a database to track traffic accidents and fatalities, and the system has allowed police to pinpoint certain areas for extra enforcement.

Intersections such as Decatur Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, Rainbow Boulevard and Sahara and Maryland Parkway and Tropicana Avenue are always among the worst, Redfairn said.