Nevada seventh deadliest for those on foot

Jace Radke

Wednesday, April 23, 2003 | 10:54 a.m.

While Nevada is no longer the deadliest state in the nation for pedestrians, the number of fatal pedestrian accidents continues to climb, especially in Clark County.

So far this year 20 pedestrians have been killed in Clark County after 41 deaths in 2002, said Erin Breen, director of UNLV's Safe Community Partnership.

"We're off to a bad start," said Breen, who supervises the federally funded partnership that studies traffic fatalities in the county. "It's something of a victory that our population has been increasing and our rate has been going down, but last year and so far this year we've seen an increase."

A report released Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranked Nevada as the nation's seventh most deadly state for pedestrians in 2001 with a pedestrian fatality rate of 2.14 deaths for every 100,000 residents. That rate is down from 2.3 deaths for every 100,000 residents in 2000 and 3.7 deaths for every 100,000 residents in 1999, a rate that was the highest in the nation.

Breen says that while the outlook has improved for pedestrians in Nevada since 1999, 61 pedestrian deaths in Clark County over the last 16 months is too many.

"Growth has a lot to do with all of our problems," Breen said. "People move here and see how drivers and pedestrians act and join in. They don't adjust to the wide streets and high speed limits."

The cause of pedestrian accidents on Clark County roadways also seems to be shifting as the death toll mounts, Breen said.

"In the past I've been able to honestly point to motorists as being responsible for most fatalities, but this year the vast majority of these fatalities are the pedestrian's fault," Breen said.

Pedestrian accidents are usually the result of one of two factors, Metro fatal accident investigator detective Bill Redfairn said.

"They are either not using the crosswalk, or the pedestrian is intoxicated with drugs or alcohol," Redfairn said. "The majority of these accidents happen on your major thoroughfares like Tropicana (Avenue) or Maryland Parkway where the speed limit is 35 mph and people are driving 55 mph.

"With that kind of speed pedestrians aren't going to survive."

The Safe Community Partnership has given Metro a grant of $40,000 to help pay for overtime traffic patrols that focus on pedestrian safety. In addition Metro is looking at other ways to help educate pedestrians to the dangers of Las Vegas streets.

"We're only in the planning stages now, but we're looking at doing some public service announcements focusing on pedestrians," Redfairn said. "They will be similar to the ones we did last year focusing on drivers."

Metro is also looking into the possibility of getting space donated on Citizens Area Transit buses for posters with information on jaywalking. The buses often stop mid-block and instead of walking to a corner passengers simply cross the street where the bus stops.

Those caught jaywalking can expect a $95 citation, but that's only if they are spotted by a police officer, Breen said.

"Metro does have a problem-solving squad that can concentrate on various intersections, but even with that and the overtime there are just not enough officers out there," Breen said. "Then there are the cases where there is alcohol or drugs involved, and no amount of laws are going to save those people."

Breen and Sandy Heverly, director of Stop DUI, an activist group against drunk driving, support lowering the state's legal blood alcohol level from .10 to .08.

The Safe Community Partnership has also applied to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to use experimental traffic devices to cut down on pedestrian deaths.

"We're already using countdown clock traffic signals in some areas instead of the 'Walk/Don't Walk' signs," Breen said. "We're also hoping to use larger traffic signals so that pedestrians can't miss them."

A new version of portable trailers that post the speed of oncoming traffic for drivers to see could also be used here. These trailers are already in use in Clark County, but the new version would also display the fine amount that a driver could face for the speed they are traveling.