Editorial:Pedestrian fatalities too high

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001 | 9:20 a.m.

Earlier this week UNLV's Transportation Research Center received a federal grant of nearly $1 million to find ways to make local streets safer for pedestrians. The Las Vegas Valley can use the help: The Federal Highway Administration has said Nevada has the highest rate of pedestrian fatalities and injuries in the nation. In 1999, the most recent year in which nationwide figures are available, there were 71 pedestrians killed in Nevada -- 51 of them in Clark County.

It shouldn't take a whole lot of effort to figure out why we have so many pedestrian deaths. Many of the sidewalks on our major city streets are too narrow and our long city blocks -- with few crosswalks -- literally are accidents waiting to happen. Local residents also should discard the myth that inattentive tourists are the primary reason why this state has so many pedestrian accidents. The state traffic safety office notes that 87 percent of the pedestrians who are killed are Nevadans, and 84 percent of motorists involved in a pedestrian fatality live in this state.

It will take more than recommendations from traffic experts to make the streets safer. It is essential that local government leaders actually put in place measures to reduce the likelihood of pedestrian deaths. More, and better, crosswalks would be a good start. But even more important is reversing the reckless attitude often shown by pedestrians and motorists. If drivers slowed down and were more considerate of pedestrians, and if pedestrians didn't jaywalk, then the number of deaths would decrease dramatically. A little courtesy and common sense, which don't involve any taxpayer dollars, are the most effective remedies of all.

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