The end of Daylight Savings Time and shorter days create additional traffic safety issues for pedestrians and cyclists due to lack of visibility. In fact, 75 percent of pedestrian deaths occur between dusk and dawn with last year’s total traffic death numbers totaling 225 in Clark County alone.
To bring attention to these sobering statistics, the RTC recently joined with Clark County Commissioner Mike Naft, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County School District Police and the Nevada State Police as the Road Equity Alliance Project (REAP) kicked off its fifth annual Dusk to Dawn pedestrian safety campaign at Allegiant Stadium.
Erin Breen, director of REAP, is urging community members to take the pledge to be a road safety hero and shared simple tips that motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists can follow to help reduce these preventable traffic fatalities:
- Be mindful of your surroundings whether you are a driver, pedestrian or cyclist
- Slow down
- Walk in designated crosswalks and wear visible clothing
- Wear seat belts
- Don’t drive impaired
Another way to reduce traffic fatalities is through smart transportation design, which is a priority for the RTC via its ongoing Complete Streets program and a new initiative, Safe Streets for All. This initiative, funded by a $1.68 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration, is scheduled to begin soon and take approximately two years to complete.
The funding will allow the RTC to create a community-driven action plan that will prioritize equitable and safe mobility projects for road users, no matter the transportation mode they choose. By working with local governments, the Nevada Department of Transportation, safety experts, and key stakeholders, the RTC will take a fresh look at roadway safety, identifying the most significant factors including speed, roadway width and lighting, with the goal of finding ways to develop solutions for high-crash locations.
For more information on this initiative, visit pedsafe.vegas.
