Las Vegas Sun

April 25, 2024

Chalk outlines highlight Las Vegas-area pedestrian safety drive

Hit n Run

Christopher DeVargas

A pedestrian was killed in a fatal hit-and-run that happened on North Las Vegas Blvd near Washington Street early Thrusday morning, Thursday March 15, 2012.

Public safety officials in Nevada are beginning a drive to improve pedestrian safety with chalk silhouettes on roads, reflective bands for people crossing streets, and advisories for motorists.

Vulnerable Road Users Project chief Erin Breen at UNLV says a "Dusk 2 Dawn" campaign kicked off Monday in and around Las Vegas, where 91 white outlines mark spots where pedestrians have died in recent years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranked Nevada the fifth most dangerous state for pedestrians in 2017, with a little more than three pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 residents.

Clark County, including Las Vegas, ranked 11th among 25 counties in the U.S. with the highest number of pedestrian fatalities per year in 2014 through 2018 — behind jurisdictions in Southern California and the Phoenix, Miami, Dallas, Houston and Chicago areas.

Officials say pedestrian fatalities tend to increase during evening darkness following the end of daylight saving time.