NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nearly 430 students were hit by cars last year in the Las Vegas Valley, with 76 of those incidents happening in North Las Vegas. Four students across the valley died.
A new school zone safety law that went into effect this year could change those numbers by increasing fines for speeding, illegal U-turns, and other traffic violations in school zones. The law also gives schools and local municipalities more flexibility to make changes to those areas.
Jhovani Carrillo explains how it works and how police hope it will help make streets safer around schools:
Jadee Glover is a substitute teacher and has three students in the Clark County School District. She said dangerous driving near schools is something she has witnessed firsthand.
"Violations of speeding and being close to hitting kids," Glover said.
North Las Vegas Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Ferrell said the spike in student injuries is significant.
"The number that you mentioned around 420 — looking back at the previous two years, it's about triple what we had the previous two years. The addition of electronic scooters and bicycles has definitely contributed to about 50% being involved in those collisions. But even if you took off the half that were scooter-involved, it's still an increase over the last two years," Ferrell said.
Ferrell said he is hopeful the new law will encourage drivers to slow down near schools.
"Once someone gets a citation in front of that school, everyone changes their behavior as soon as that red and blue light comes on," Ferrell said.
Glover said she supports the tougher penalties.
"I love the fact that they are doubling the fines because lives are at stake," Glover said.
Almost every year, North Las Vegas receives a grant that helps add more officers in and around school zones.
"It's all over time dollars, so that the traffic officers that are on their regular days off can come in and be a force multiplier for the ones that are already on duty," Ferrell said.
In addition to the new law, Glover said she is also educating her own students on how to stay safe near roads.
"He knows to look both ways, he knows to wait for cars, but he also knows not to cross the big street by himself," Glover said.
The North Las Vegas Police Department also plans to share traffic safety educational videos with the community as the start of the school year approaches.
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