NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The City of North Las Vegas is making significant progress in reducing traffic fatalities, reporting roughly a 40% drop from 2024 to 2025. According to city data, 21 people died in traffic crashes last year, compared to 35 the year before.
To get a closer look at what’s driving that change, Channel 13 rode along with a North Las Vegas police traffic sergeant, offering a firsthand look at how officers are working to prevent deadly crashes before they happen.
We hit the road with Sergeant Ben Ferrell with the North Las Vegas Police Department. He showed us how proactive enforcement plays a key role in improving safety.
WATCH | Inside ride-along: North Las Vegas sees nearly 40% drop in traffic deaths
“Something that is easy to grow a passion for and decide that you really want to make a difference out here,” Ferrell said. “It all starts with just correcting driving behaviors.”
It didn’t take long to see that in action. Within minutes, Ferrell spotted a driver speeding in a 65 zone. After pulling the driver over, he learned she had just left the grocery store and was rushing home to care for her younger brother who was home alone.
With no concerning history on her driving record, Ferrell chose to issue a warning instead of a citation.
“I am going to give you a warning, but you need to slow down,” he told the driver.
Ferrell says moments like these highlight a common misconception about traffic enforcement.
“I think a lot of the public’s opinion of what we are doing is that we’re out here trying to write citations to somehow generate revenue for our officer or our city,” he said. “That’s just not the case. What drives us out here writting tickets is responding to fatal crashes and seeing true victims.”
He pointed to several intersections that have recently seen an uptick in reckless driving, including Craig Road and Losee Road, as well as Cheyenne Avenue and Simmons Street.
“Most of the time when we have a serious wreck, it’s because one car is moving very fast and another is moving very slow,” Ferrell explained.
Targeted enforcement efforts, often funded through grants, are also making a difference. Ferrell says his unit of 11 officers has issued nearly 3,000 citations so far this year about half tied to grant-funded enforcement initiatives.
Later in the ride-along, Ferrell assisted another officer during a stop involving a driver going 91 in a 65 zone- — a speed he described as excessive and dangerous. He said teamwork during these stops is critical for officer safety and allows one officer to stay focused on the driver while the other monitors surroundings.
When asked about peak times for dangerous driving, Ferrell said morning rush hour. Particularly between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. tends to be the most problematic.
“That’s when people are running late for work,” he said. “You’re putting everyone else in danger, and at best, you’re saving maybe two minutes.”
Despite the progress, Ferrell says the responsibility for safer roads doesn’t fall on officers alone.
“99% of these crashes are preventable,” he said. “It comes down to genuinely caring about other people and their experiences on the roadway.”
