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This screenshot shows a scene from the documentary “My Best Friend: A Pedestrian Story,” which uses families’ remembrances to spotlight the persistently severe problem of pedestrian accidents in Nevada.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 | 2 a.m.
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When Nevada Department of Transportation digital media specialist Brad Horn was developing a documentary project on pedestrian safety, he reasoned that the most compelling way to address the subject was to speak with the survivors of Nevadans killed in vehicle-pedestrian accidents.
“These are important stories we need to tell,” Horn said, “and I needed the families to tell them in their words and through their hearts.”
Working with traffic safety advocates in Las Vegas, Horn met and interviewed three families willing to share their experiences. The result is a powerful new film, “My Best Friend: A Pedestrian Story.”
The 26-minute documentary uses the families’ remembrances to spotlight the persistently severe problem of pedestrian accidents in Nevada, one of the nation’s deadliest places in that regard. The state ranks No. 11 in pedestrian fatalities, with 75% of its accidents occurring in Clark County.
Designed to promote dialogue on safety improvements and to raise awareness among motorists about pedestrian issues, the film chronicles the December 2015 death of 16-year-old Mary Lilly, who was struck by a car while coming home from a park near West Craig Road and North Pioneer Way in the northwest valley; the March 2019 death of 12-year-old Jonny Smith, who died while walking home from school at South Fort Apache Road and West Arby Avenue in the southwest valley; and the February 2013 death of James Spagnoli at Flamingo Road and South Riley Street in Spring Valley.
The film is a reminder that every one of the 411 pedestrians who’ve lost their lives on Nevada’s streets over the past five years were much more than numbers. It’s filled with tender memories — how Mary helped a visually impaired woman write a book, how Jonny dreamed of being an engineer who could help people without access to clean water, how Spagnoli sparked his kid sister’s love of skateboarding.
Originally set to debut in 2020 but delayed due to the pandemic, the film premiered last week as part of a virtual panel discussion that drew Gov. Steve Sisolak, Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft, NDOT Secretary Kristina Swallow, Horn and dozens of other officials and safety advocates.
For now, the documentary is available online only at tinyurl.com/bestfriendfilm.
Horn said NDOT officials were working with TV stations in Las Vegas and Reno to air it, and also were promoting it to schools.
The overall message is for everyone on the streets — drivers and pedestrians — to be aware and be cautious. But particularly for motorists, it’s about not driving while distracted or impaired, obeying the speed limit and being watchful for pedestrians.
Bill Ortiz, Spagnoli’s stepfather, puts it well in the film: “When you’re driving down the street, pretend the people crossing are your relatives. Pretend they’re your mother, or your brother or your sister, and maybe you’ll drive a little more carefully. That’s all we ask.”
Unfortunately, much of Las Vegas is poorly designed for pedestrians and bicyclists, with wide roads, fast speed limits and a limited number of crosswalks and bike lanes in many areas.
In the panel discussion following the film’s premiere, the participants agreed that reducing speed limits was one key to improving safety. Other recommendations included educating children and young drivers about pedestrian safety, maintaining strong enforcement of impaired driving laws, establishing protections for people on sidewalks and at intersections (think the bollards on Las Vegas Boulevard) and adopting technological advancements in traffic-signal controls that allow traffic to flow more smoothly while also protecting pedestrians.
But as Metro Police Sgt. Paul McCullough pointed out, this is a problem we can get our arms around by all doing our part. As a leader of Metro’s fatal accident detail, McCullough said the 500 accidents he’s investigated have a common denominator in that all of them were preventable either by the driver, the pedestrian or the design of the road.
“My Best Friend” offers a heartfelt reminder of why we should all take ownership of the issue and work to address it.
