Overview
- Memorial Day marked the start of the 100 Deadliest Days and safety groups warned that teens face about a 20% higher risk of dying in crashes over the summer with an average of eight teen deaths per day.
- Clark County approved a supplemental budget to add Metropolitan Police officers and two new traffic squads focused on proactive traffic enforcement.
- Metro traffic officials reported they are 25 fatalities lower so far this year than last year and credited stepped-up enforcement for part of the improvement.
- Advocates and safety groups identified the main seasonal drivers as more driving hours for inexperienced teens, nighttime driving, peer passengers, impairment, distraction and fatigue and noted that consistent seat-belt use can cut vehicular mortality by about 45%.
- Officials said they will rely on the three E's—education, enforcement and engineering—while hospitals and advocates warned trauma admissions typically rise in summer and urged parents to set rules, supervise teen driving and heed public-safety messaging.