As the number of road deaths rises, police are targeting dangerous intersections

Ryan Matthey and Greg Haas

4 minutes ago

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nearly five months after the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) announced the Valley’s most dangerous intersections, agency data shows the danger has increased, prompting targeted actions that drivers may not see coming .

For example, Flamingo Road at Decatur Boulevard in the south central valley is a hotspot for collisions and injuries caused by drivers who consistently run red lights. A team of 10 LVMPD officers monitored the issue in May.

Transportation Bureau Lieutenant Tony Cavaricci says other intersections have the same problem, but not at this volume. From New Year’s Day to the end of April, 23 collisions were recorded here.

“One car after another is running these red lights,” Cavaricci said as he stood at the intersection Thursday morning while another officer checked traffic. “Every traffic light cycle you spend out here, you can see someone running a red light, someone turning right at a red light without stopping, someone talking on their cell phone.”

Although running a red light is the most common violation here, officers also noticed those using their cell phones while driving, turning improperly at a red light and crossing pedestrians without the proper signal. Officers on motorcycles wait for the signal just beyond the intersection in all directions.

“The sergeant will position himself on a corner where he can observe the light cycles and people in their vehicles. Then we strategically placed additional car cops on the adjacent streets,” Cavaricci said. “So if (the sergeant) notices this violation, he will report it to the traffic police officer, who will then initiate a car stop for the violation.”

According to LVMPD, over 100 citations were issued to drivers and pedestrians near Flamingo and Decatur on Thursday morning alone:

• Moving violations: 54
• Red light violations: 28
• Cell phone use while driving: 14
• Other allegations (pedestrians crossing against traffic lights, no insurance, no driver’s license, etc.): 16

Tickets cost up to $500, depending on state law. These traffic violations became civil violations in Nevada in 2023.

The number of traffic fatalities this year is on track to surpass last year’s total.

As of May 3, LVMPD reported 59 traffic fatalities, which is over 33% more than the 44 traffic fatalities recorded at this time last year. Two more were reported in the past week alone.

Reckless driving and pedestrians crossing the road where and when they do not are said to have become the main causes of these deaths.

“We just can’t keep up with all the violations. That’s why we’re stopping what’s possible with the workforce we have out here,” Cavaricci said. “Citizens have a big role to play in combating what we are seeing.”

Despite the officer shortfalls, Cavaricci said enforcement actions like this will continue at all hot-spot intersections throughout the valley.

“Some drivers may have an excuse. Some drivers don’t do that. “Realistically, there is no good reason to run a red light when you are putting so many people in danger,” Cavaricci said. “We stop anyone who breaks the law.”

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill voted this year to reconsider another Nevada law that bans the use of red-light cameras to report drivers. Cavaricci said the department is studying the effectiveness of these cameras in other states where they are used.